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

Signature dishes include pork buns, shumai, shrimp dumplings, claypot eggplant and Singaporean butter prawns. —Jonathan Shikes, Denver Post, 21 Apr. 2026

Sharing culture, one soup dumpling at a time Restaurants have always been part of the Tan family’s story. —Camryn Dadey, Sacbee.com, 16 Apr. 2026

Get the recipe > Spoonfuls of buttery dough are cooked in a pot of boiling maple syrup for these rich dumplings. —Saveur Editors, Saveur, 15 Apr. 2026

Chicken and dumplings is the definition of comfort food. —Phoebe Evans, Southern Living, 13 Apr. 2026

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