Spanish word

mermelada

Pronunciation

IPA/meɾmeˈlaða/

Meaning

  • feminine nounjam

Example

¿Quieres un poco de mermelada?

Do you want a little jam?

Illustration for mermelada (jam)

More examples

Prefiero la mermelada de naranja en el pan.

I prefer orange marmalade on bread.

Core concept

Sweet spreadable preserve made by cooking fruit with sugar until spreadable.

Common phrases

  • mermelada de naranja

    orange marmalade

  • pan con mermelada

    bread with jam

  • una cucharada de mermelada

    a spoonful of jam

Similar words

confitura: Thicker fruit preserve cooked with sugar, often keeping whole fruit pieces.
jalea: Clear, jelly-like preserve made from strained fruit juice and sugar.

Definition in Spanish

Producto dulce preparado con frutas cocidas y azúcar hasta obtener una textura para untar, habitual en el desayuno y la merienda.

Word origin

Spanish mermelada comes from Portuguese marmelada and ultimately from marmelo 'quince', with its original quince-paste sense having broadened to mean cooked fruit preserves in general.

Usage tips

  • In shops mermelada may appear alongside labels like confitura or dulce, and naming the fruit (for example, de fresa) helps avoid confusion.

Other meanings

  • marmaladenoun

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