plum
pluhm
Plum (noun) means a soft, round stone fruit with smooth skin, ranging from red to deep purple. Example: “She packed a ripe plum in her lunch bag.”
noun
1
A soft, round stone fruit with smooth skin, ranging from red to deep purple.
"She packed a ripe plum in her lunch bag."
2
A deep purplish-red colour, like that of the fruit.
"She painted the accent wall a rich plum."
adj
1
Especially desirable or valuable, said of a job, role, or opportunity.
"He landed a plum assignment covering the World Cup."
How to use plum
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe fruit, its deep purple colour, or (as an adjective) an especially good and sought-after opportunity.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
a plum job
plum role
plum-coloured
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Word forms
- Plural
- plums
- Third person singular
- plums
- Past tense
- plummed
- Comparative
- more plum
- Superlative
- most plum
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She packed a ripe _____ in her lunch bag.
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.
Related words
Rhymes for plum
See all rhymes for 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.
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