noun · verb · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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Received-Pronunciation:/ˈmɑː.mə.leɪd/
General-American:/ˈmɑɹ.mə.leɪd/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:M AA1 R M AH0 L EY2 D
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A kind of jam made with citrus fruit, distinguished by being made slightly bitter by the addition of the peel and by partial caramelisation during manufacture. Most commonly made with Seville oranges, and usually qualified by the name of the fruit when made with other types of fruit.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
lime marmalade
thick cut marmalade
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
Quince jam.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, obsolete, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A cat having orange- or ginger-colored fur.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
verb
Meaning 4
To spread marmalade on.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
a preserve made of the pulp and rind of citrus fruits
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Borrowed from Middle French marmelade, from Portuguese marmelada (“quince jam”), from marmelo (“quince”), from Latin melimēlum (“sweet apple”), from Ancient Greek μελίμηλον (melímēlon), from μέλι (méli, “honey”) + μῆλον (mêlon, “apple”). A false folk etymology claims that this comes from the French phrase “Marie est malade” (“Mary is ill”), referring to Mary, Queen of Scots, falling ill and being given marmalade to feel better.
Across languages
Translations
76 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Afrikaans:
marmelade
— citrus jam
Arabic:
مَرْمَلَاد
(marmalād)
— citrus jam
Armenian:
ջեմ
(ǰem)
— citrus jam
Armenian:
մարմելադ
(marmelad)
— citrus jam
Azerbaijani:
marmelad
— citrus jam
Basque:
marmelada
— citrus jam
Belarusian:
мармела́д
(marmjelád)
— citrus jam
Belarusian:
джэм
(džem)
— citrus jam
Bulgarian:
мармалад
(marmalad)
— citrus jam
Catalan:
melmelada
— citrus jam
Chinese Cantonese:
橙皮占
(caang2 pei4 zim1)
— citrus jam
Chinese Mandarin:
橘子果醬 /橘子果酱
(júzi guǒjiàng)
— citrus jam
Chinese Mandarin:
果醬 /果酱
(guǒjiàng)
— citrus jam
Chinese Mandarin:
果子醬 /果子酱
(guǒzijiàng)
— citrus jam