plural dim sums also dim sum
: traditional Chinese food consisting of a variety of items (such as steamed or fried dumplings, pieces of cooked chicken, and rice balls) served in small portions

Examples of dim sum in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This year, some of the options include brunch buffets, a dim sum menu, a beef wellington cooking class and cruises around San Diego Bay. Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Apr. 2025 Fans of dim sum and proper sauciers will also find this useful. Alex Ronan, Architectural Digest, 22 Apr. 2025 Highlights included colorful striped cashmere throws hung vertically like a totem pole and a Tomás Alonso glass side table with a playful cedar box top that resembled the world’s most elegant dim sum basket. Liam Hess, Vogue, 11 Apr. 2025 Sacramento’s sizable Chinese and Vietnamese populations have culminated in a wealth of dim sum parlors and delicious dives along Stockton Boulevard, but few high-end representations of those cuisines exist in the city core. Benjy Egel, Sacramento Bee, 23 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dim sum

Word History

Etymology

Chinese (Guangdong) dímsām, from dím dot, speck + sām heart

First Known Use

1948, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dim sum was in 1948

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Cite this Entry

“Dim sum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dim%20sum. Accessed 24 May. 2025.

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