I. ˈme(ˌ)lō, -_lə; -_ləw, -_lō+V adjective
( -er/-est )
Etymology: Middle English melwe, melowe
1. : fully matured: as
a. of a fruit : having attained the flavor, sweetness, and softness of perfect ripeness : soft in substance and sweet in taste
bit into a mellow peach
b. of a wine : adequately and properly aged so as to be free of harshness or acidity : mild and pleasing in flavor
a mellow port
c. : having attained to softness, gentleness, or kindliness through aging and experience : freed from the rashness or harshness of youth
mellow wisdom
the peace of mellow age
2.
a. of soil : rich and easily worked : of soft and loamy consistency
b.
(1) : free from coarseness, roughness, or harshness : rich and full but free from garishness or stridency — used especially of sound, color, style
the mellow tones of an old violin
furnished the room with mellow old fabrics and richly polished woods
(2) of a speech sound : characterized by no friction or by friction that is comparatively mild in that there is only one friction-producing component in the articulation
t is frictionless and mellow ; th, which has tongue-teeth friction only, is mellow ; but sh, which has both tongue-teeth and tongue-palate friction, is not
— compare strident
c. of livestock : having a hide that is soft, sleek, and flexible to the touch
3.
a. : somewhat intoxicated : warmed and relaxed by liquor
b. : relaxed and at ease : pleasantly convivial : genial
4.
a. of a chemical solution : weakened by use or materially altered in the course of time (as by bacterial action)
b. of a process : involving use of a mild solution to obtain mild results
• mel·low·ly adverb
• mel·low·ness noun -es
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
transitive verb
: to make mellow
intransitive verb
: to become mellow
grapes mellowing in the sun
III. adjective
1. slang : excellent : appealing : fine
at first the gig looked mellow : $300 for two shows and a supposedly hip crowd — Mark Jacobson
2. : feeling relaxed and good from smoking marijuana