plum
6 synonyms and 0 antonyms for plum, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A soft, round stone fruit with smooth skin, ranging from red to deep purple.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use plum
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From Old English "plūme", itself borrowed from Latin "prunum" (plum); it is a doublet of the word "prune", which comes from the same Latin root.
Full origin of plum →Frequently asked questions
What does “plum” mean?
The word “plum” means a soft, round stone fruit with smooth skin, ranging from red to deep purple. In plain terms, the fruit, its deep purple colour, or (as an adjective) an especially good and sought-after opportunity.
How do you pronounce “plum”?
“Plum” is pronounced pluhm (/plʌm/ in IPA).
How do you use “plum” in a sentence?
Here is “plum” used in a sentence: “She packed a ripe plum in her lunch bag.”
What is another word for “plum”?
Words with a similar meaning to “plum” include plum tree and plumtree.
What part of speech is “plum”?
Depending on how it is used, “plum” can be a noun and an adjective.
Where does the word “plum” come from?
The word “plum” comes from Latin. From Old English "plūme", itself borrowed from Latin "prunum" (plum); it is a doublet of the word "prune", which comes from the same Latin root.
Is “plum” a common word?
“Plum” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “plum” have?
“Plum” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a soft, round stone fruit with smooth skin, ranging from red to deep purple.
What is the difference between plum and plumb?
Plum refers to the fruit, its color, or something highly desirable, while plumb (with a b at the end pronounced) relates to verticality, as in a plumb line, or means exactly, as in "plumb in the middle." The two words are homophones but unrelated in meaning.
What does it mean to call a job a plum job?
Calling a job a "plum job" means it is especially desirable or valuable, offering good pay, status, or conditions compared to other roles, using the adjective sense of plum rather than the fruit or color.
Is plum a color or just a fruit name?
Plum is both: it names the fruit itself and also describes a deep purplish-red color resembling the fruit's skin, so "a plum dress" refers to the color rather than the fruit.