plum

noun, often attributive

\ ˈpləm

Definition of plum

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : any of various trees and shrubs (genus Prunus) of the rose family with globular to oval smooth-skinned edible fruits that are drupes with oblong seeds also : the fruit

2 : any of various trees with edible fruits resembling plums also : the fruit

3a : a raisin when used in desserts

b : sugarplum

4 : something superior or very desirable especially : something desirable given in return for a favor

5 : a dark reddish purple

Plum

geographical name

\ ˈpləm

Definition of Plum (Entry 2 of 2)

borough in southwestern Pennsylvania that is a suburb of Pittsburgh population 27,126

Other Words from plum Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More about plum

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Examples of plum in a Sentence

Noun

a bowl of peaches and plums Dried plums are also called “prunes.” That deal is a real plum for the contractor.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

The shirting is made from Sea Island cotton with real mother-of-pearl buttons, and the knitwear color story is muted, but compelling: navy, lavender, mauve, plum, gray. — Nicole Phelps, Vogue, "The Row’s Premier Menswear Collection Will Land in Stores in October," 27 Aug. 2018 Check apple, peach, plum, nectarine, pluot and other fruit trees for pests or diseases. — Nan Sterman, latimes.com, "For SoCal gardeners, a June gloom tipsheet," 31 May 2018 Still, nothing can quite beat a good statement lip—the soon-to-be bride knows a thing or two about choosing a Kool Aid bright lipstick and can often be seen in electrifying shades of magenta, cherry or deep plum. — Jenna Rennert, Vogue, "6 Bold Beauty Looks Only Priyanka Chopra Could Wear Down the Wedding Aisle," 1 Dec. 2018 The Duchess of Sussex reportedly helped cook tonight's menu of homemade coconut chicken curry, aubergine (that's eggplant, for those of us in the States) masala, dips to share, and caramelized plum upside-down cake for dessert. — Caroline Hallemann, Town & Country, "Meghan Markle Was Cooking in Heels at the Launch of the Together Cookbook," 20 Sep. 2018 Where the Naked3 has brownish pinks and plums covered, Cherry leans into peach on the lighter end, and reddish purples on the darker. — Rachel Nussbaum, Glamour, "The Swatches for Urban Decay's Naked Cherry Palette Are Drop-Dead Gorgeous," 4 Sep. 2018 This big red shows off layers of plum, blackberry, Bing cherry and black olive. 18. — Andy Perdue, The Seattle Times, "DeLille Cellars’ 2015 Harrison Hill is Andy Perdue’s Wine of the Year," 26 Oct. 2018 Residents interested in flowering trees should seek out vitex, Mexican plum, redbud and magnolia saplings. — Jennifer Michelle Greenberg, Houston Chronicle, "Group to give away trees to Pearland residents," 15 Jan. 2018 Last up are the lip products — two shades of lip gloss ($6 each) and four creme lipsticks in yellow brown, chocolate brown, plum brown, and a peachy nude ($7 each). — Leah Prinzivalli, Allure, "Karrueche Tran’s New ColourPop Brown Sugar Collab Celebrates the Beauty of Being Brown," 26 Oct. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'plum.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.