Origin of mellow

1400–50; late Middle English mel(o)we, alteration (perhaps by dissimilation, in phrase meruw fruit) of Middle English meruw, Old English meru soft

SYNONYMS FOR mellow

1 See ripe.
9 develop, mature, improve.
SEE SYNONYMS FOR mellow ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM mellow

Words nearby mellow

mellite, mellitum, mellon, mellophone, mellotron, mellow, mellow out, melo, melodeon, melodia, melodic

Words related to mellow out

unwind, recline, slow, slacken, ebb, wane, dwindle, recede, taper, subside, decrease, diminish, dull, quit, acquiesce, relax, soften, capitulate, comply, decline

British Dictionary definitions for mellow out

mellow
/ (ˈmɛləʊ) /

adjective

verb

to make or become mellow; soften; mature
(foll by out) to become calm and relaxed or (esp of a drug) to have a calming or relaxing effect on (someone)

Derived forms of mellow

mellowly, adverb mellowness, noun

Word Origin for mellow

C15: perhaps from Old English meru soft (as through ripeness)

Idioms and Phrases with mellow out

mellow out

Become genial or pleasant, calm down, relax, as in The teacher mellowed out when they explained what had happened. This expression uses mellow in the sense of “ripening,” with the connotation of softness and sweetness. [Slang; late 1900s]