lumpy

American  

[luhm-pee] / ˈlʌm pi /

adjective

lumpier, lumpiest

1. full of lumps.

   lumpy gravy.

2. covered with lumps, as a surface.

3. heavy or clumsy, as in movement or style; crude.

   a lumpy gait; a lumpy narrative.

4. (of water) rough or choppy.

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lumpy British  

/ ˈlʌmpɪ /

adjective

1. full of or having lumps

2. (esp of the sea) rough

3. (of a person) heavy or bulky

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Other Word Forms

• lumpily
  adverb
• lumpiness
  noun
• unlumpy
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of lumpy

First recorded in 1700–10; lump ¹ + -y ¹

Explanation

Lumpy things are uneven and full of bumps or chunks. While lumpy oatmeal might be good, a lumpy mattress can make it impossible to get a good night's sleep. It's easier to play a game of croquet on a smooth lawn, rather than a lumpy field full of bumps and holes. And you may find a silky bowl of chocolate pudding delicious, but be disgusted by the texture of a lumpy serving of tapioca pudding. The adjective lumpy, by way of the noun lump, comes from the Old English lumpe, from a Scandinavian root.

Example Sentences

There are a few lumpy patches, moments when the revision over-explains itself or belabors a point.

From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026

Company executives have argued that bookings weren’t an accurate reflection of business momentum as they can be lumpy between quarters, and decided to forgo the metric.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

Under the shade of a nearby tree in Kakwanyang village, three women sit together pounding wild brown fruits with a hard, rough and lumpy exterior.

From BBC • Mar. 19, 2026

Aircraft orders are lumpy from month to month and the planes take a few years to build.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 18, 2026

I don’t say anything to Sara, but the mixture we just made looks vile, like pale gravy full of lumpy flour.

From "A Place at the Table" by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan

Related Words

• bumpy
• chunky
• irregular