plum

play

noun, often attributive \ ˈpləm \

Definition of plum

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

3 a :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

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plumlike

play \-ˌlīk\ adjective

See plum defined for English-language learners

See plum defined for kids

Examples of plum in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples of plum from the Web

Where a lot of palettes now chase trends (looking at you Naked Heat), the Smoky's got the perfect mix of matte and metallic silver, black, and brown, plus one beautiful shimmery plum.

— lindsay schallon, Glamour, "Urban Decay Is Discontinuing Its Beloved Naked Smoky Palette," 24 Aug. 2017
The Plum Upside-down Cake was topped with thin slices of fresh plum and the cake had a moist texture.

— birmingham magazine, AL.com, "Birmingham Restaurant Week Review: Dinner at Harvest," 16 Aug. 2017
But in Season 6, Qyburn took advantage of Varys’s absence from King’s Landing and brought the neglected Little Birds over to Team Lannister. Seducing them with promises of protection and sugared plums . .

— joanna robinson, vanityfair.com, "One Game of Thrones Scene Explains Why Daenerys Is Losing the War," 6 Aug. 2017
A dipping sauce made from roasted red pepper, onion and plum tomato was perfect, although for the traditionalist, there’s homemade tartar sauce, as well.

— by kendall hamersly, miamiherald, "Wagyu in Abuela’s picadillo? Estefans’ new Cuban restaurant tinkers with tradition," 2 Aug. 2017
No mannequins covered in couture, no bedazzled sugar plums, no glittering swings — just a pile of old clothes.

— sarah spellings, The Cut, "Vetements’ New Saks Window Display Is Just a Pile of Clothes," 21 July 2017
Breakfast waffles are delicious when topped with fresh berries, bananas and stone fruits such as peaches, plums, nectarines, apricots and pluots.

— rick nelson, charlotteobserver, "Resolved: Waffles are the perfect summer breakfast," 18 July 2017
Yu Garden Your fantasy of old China: five acres of pavilions, koi ponds, plum blossoms, rockeries, and dragon walls.

— klara glowczewska, Town & Country, "Why Now Is the Time to Visit China," 14 July 2017
For several in our group, the hospitality of homemade plum brandy, a pork-and-beef dish called faschile and cherry cake served with frank conversation was a highlight.

— jane wooldridge, miamiherald, "The Danube dozen: How our bagel group sailed through eastern Europe without losing our T-shirts," 14 July 2017

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.

Origin and Etymology of plum

Middle English, from Old English plūme, modification of Latin prunum plum, from Greek proumnon

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

plum Synonyms

Synonyms

catch, gem, jewel, pearl, prize, treasure

Related Words

blessing, find, godsend, goody (or goodie), valuable, windfall; booty, loot, plunder, spoil, swag; brass ring; glory, pride; gold, jackpot, prize money, treasure trove

Near Antonyms

lemon, loser

Other Food Terms

Reuben, calamari, chuck, curry, edamame, foie gras, hummus, leaven, nonpareil, peel

Plum

play

geographical name \ ˈpləm \

Definition of Plum

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

PLUM Defined for English Language Learners

plum

play

noun

Definition of plum for English Language Learners

: a round, juicy fruit that has red or purple skin, sweet yellow flesh, and a hard seed at the center
: something that many people want or think is very good
: a dark reddish-purple color