dumpling

American  

[duhmp-ling] / ˈdʌmp lɪŋ /

noun

1. a rounded mass of steamed and seasoned dough, often served in soup or with stewed meat.

2. a dessert consisting of a wrapping of dough enclosing sliced apples or other fruit, boiled or baked.

3. a short or stout person.

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dumpling British  

/ ˈdʌmplɪŋ /

noun

1. a small ball of dough cooked and served with stew

2. a pudding consisting of a round pastry case filled with fruit

   apple dumpling

3. informal a short plump person

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Etymology

Origin of dumpling

1590–1600; dump (of uncertain origin) + -ling ¹

Compare meaning

How does dumpling compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• gyoza vs. dumpling

Example Sentences

Hearty elements give the soup its backbone—potatoes, rice, dumplings, lentils, beans, even torn bread—ingredients that make a bowl feel like a meal.

From Salon

No one mentioned Wonders during dinner, though Pa did marvel when I put away my third helping of dumplings.

From Literature

The finished dumpling — which can be enjoyed as a quick snack or meal — is deliciously pillowy and spicy with a hint of zing.

From Salon

Cars work as both charging stations and freezers, with frozen dumplings and other products stored in their trunks.

From The Wall Street Journal

In Friuli-Venezia Giulia, for example, Slavic and Austro-Hungarian influences show up in smoked meats, dumplings, and fermented flavors.

From Salon

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