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

Feller, located within the Lora Hotel in downtown Stillwater, is featuring lamb buuz, traditional Mongolian steamed dumplings. —Mary Divine, Twin Cities, 11 Jan. 2026

The 7th Street Standard’s meal includes a butternut squash soup starter, with the choice between a potato gnocchi or chicken & dumplings entrée, ending with a New York cheesecake. —Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 9 Jan. 2026

Aside from beef brisket noodle soup, the restaurant makes its own buns and soup dumplings, rice dishes and appetizers like cucumber salad and chicken wings. —Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 9 Jan. 2026

While here, visitors can explore the Circus City Museum, shop for antiques, bike the Nickel Plate Trail, pet alpacas, and enjoy seasonal treats like apple dumplings. —Iona Brannon, Travel + Leisure, 9 Jan. 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