dumpling

noun

dump·​ling ˈdəmp-liŋ 

plural dumplings

1

a

: a small mass of dough cooked by boiling or steaming

chicken soup with dumplings

b

: a casing of dough enclosing a typically savory filling (such as meat or seafood) and cooked usually by boiling, steaming, or pan-frying see gyoza, pot sticker, wonton

c

: a usually baked dessert of fruit wrapped in dough

apple dumplings

2

: something soft and rounded like a dumpling

especially : a plump person or animal often of short stature

"I wanted to do it [rowing] because it was something I had never heard of. I was a little dumpling as well. I wanted to lose weight."

—Spencer Turrin, quoted in The Daily Telegraph (England)

Examples of dumpling in a Sentence

We had vegetarian dumplings as an appetizer.

Recent Examples on the Web

The menu here celebrates local game and fish—think venison, duck, and pikeperch—alongside comfort fare like dumplings, gnocchi, and fondue, reimagined with global touches like dashi, caviar, and truffle. —Alexandra Emanuelli, Travel + Leisure, 6 Sep. 2025

Your best bets here are the radish turnip cakes, soup dumplings and pork and shrimp shu mai, all $8 to $13. —Shindy Chen, Charlotte Observer, 5 Sep. 2025

The event features a wide selection of Asian bites such as dumplings, sushi and desserts. —Diana Leyva, Nashville Tennessean, 5 Sep. 2025

Get the recipe > This rustic soup from Chiapas, Mexico, features the grassy flavor of fresh chipilín leaves in a rich corn broth, with tender masa dumplings stuffed with creamy queso fresco for a satisfying bite. —Saveur Editors, Saveur, 4 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

perhaps alteration of lump

First Known Use

1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

dumpling

noun

dump·​ling ˈdəm-pliŋ 

1

: a portion of dough cooked by boiling or steaming

2

: a dessert of fruit baked in biscuit dough