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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.


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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of dumpling

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

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Gather your mac and cheese, your spanakopita triangles, your dumplings, your roasted vegetables in tidy bags.

From Salon

They shared fried pork dumplings in a sweet black sauce, and Glory even tried to teach him how to use chopsticks.

From Literature

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