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plumper

1 American  
[pluhm-per] / ˈplʌm pər /

noun

  1. an act of falling heavily; a plumping.

  2. Chiefly British. the vote of a person who plumps.


plumper 2 American  
[pluhm-per] / ˈplʌm pər /

noun

  1. something carried in the mouth to fill out hollow cheeks.


plumper British  
/ ˈplʌmpə /

noun

  1. a pad carried in the mouth by actors to round out the cheeks

"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 plumper1

plump 2 + -er 1

Origin of plumper2

First recorded in 1755–65; plump 1 + -er 1

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.

But Curtis hurls herself into this schtick with gusto — say, demanding a ring light and lip plumper for her passport photo — and gets you laughing anyway.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 7, 2025

Over the past half-century, as breeders selected for larger ears with more numerous and plumper, heavier kernels, they ended up choosing big plants with many leaves for photosynthesis and tall stalks.

From Science Magazine • Oct. 25, 2023

Slice and dice the plumper varieties into salads, scones, or onto pavlova; coax them with a little heat and sugar into compote or jam.

From Salon • Jun. 8, 2022

Other wet-brining detractors state that though it results in a plumper bird, this extra moisture is mostly just water that dilutes the flavor of the meat – even when aromatics are included.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 22, 2021

She quickly became plump and then plumper still.

From "The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup and a Spool of Thread" by Kate DiCamillo

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