Today, the word "marshmallow" is most often associated with a sweet and low-calorie dessert. But it was not always associated with food. This word originated in ancient times and at first had nothing to do with cooking. About the origin and modern meaning of this term - read in our article!
Name history
Since ancient times, a large number of terms and names have come to us. Many of them come from rich ancient Greek mythology and are necessarily associated with some legends. The word “marshmallow” is no exception. Among the ancient Greeks, it served as the name of the god of the west wind, the brother of the south wind of Nota and the north wind of Borea.
Zephyr was the son of the dawn of Eos and the starry sky of Astraeus. He entered into a relationship with Harpy Gout, which represented the storm. Their connection gave birth to the fast immortal and ageless horses of Bali and Xanthos, who served the warrior Achilles.
Zephyr was known not only to the Greeks, but also to the Romans. Moreover, they had a different idea of its essence. The Greeks considered him strong and destructive. In the myth of Hyacinth, he is portrayed as a jealous young man whose emotions led to the death of his lover. He was very fast, so the gods trusted him to deliver news. The Romans endowed him with a soft character, considering it a pleasant spring stream.
Other meanings of the word “marshmallow”
After many centuries, marshmallows are no longer perceived as a deity, but they continue to associate it with something airy and light. For example, with a dessert that is known to everyone for its gentle and unobtrusive taste.
On the Mediterranean coast of Europe, the meaning of the word “marshmallows” is still associated with the wind. This name refers to the warm moist streams coming from the Atlantic Ocean. Sometimes they can gain quite a lot of speed and grow to the size of a storm. As a rule, they begin in the spring and often bring clouds and rainfall.
The term is also used in biology. So, “birch marshmallows” is called the species of beautiful butterflies of Lycaenidae that live in forests and shrubs. They are distributed practically throughout Eurasia, from the UK to Primorye.