dumpling

noun

dump·​ling ˈdəmp-liŋ 

plural dumplings

1

a

: a small mass of dough cooked by boiling or steaming

chicken soup with dumplings

b

: a casing of dough enclosing a typically savory filling (such as meat or seafood) and cooked usually by boiling, steaming, or pan-frying see gyoza, pot sticker, wonton

c

: a usually baked dessert of fruit wrapped in dough

apple dumplings

2

: something soft and rounded like a dumpling

especially : a plump person or animal often of short stature

"I wanted to do it [rowing] because it was something I had never heard of. I was a little dumpling as well. I wanted to lose weight."

—Spencer Turrin, quoted in The Daily Telegraph (England)

Examples of dumpling in a Sentence

We had vegetarian dumplings as an appetizer.

Recent Examples on the Web

Customers began slurping Ai Bao’s noodle soups and munching dumplings on Jan. 26, often accompanied by milk teas and espresso drinks. —Benjy Egel, Sacramento Bee, 31 Jan. 2025

In the kitchen, the chefs are seen pouring liquid nitrogen, tying dumplings and setting food aflame. —Sabrina Weiss, People.com, 28 Jan. 2025

The restaurant's commitment to hyper-local sourcing and inventive menu items (pozole dumplings, anyone?) has caught the attention of the James Beard awards this year and last. —Meira Gebel, Axios, 28 Jan. 2025

Northern Chinese cuisine tends to have dumplings and noodles; southern Chinese meals rely heavily on rice cakes. —Jennifer Borresen, USA TODAY, 27 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

perhaps alteration of lump

First Known Use

1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

dumpling

noun

dump·​ling ˈdəm-pliŋ 

1

: a portion of dough cooked by boiling or steaming

2

: a dessert of fruit baked in biscuit dough