dumpling

A folk word [c. 1600s], apparently from a Norfolk dialect, of uncertain origin. Perhaps from some Low German word or from dialectal dump (“lump”) [late 1800s], +‎ -ling (diminutive suffix).

• IPA^(key): /ˈdʌmplɪŋ/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

dumpling (plural dumplings)

1. (cooking) A ball of dough that is cooked and may have a filling and/or additional ingredients in the dough. [from 17th c.]
   1. By restriction, a food composed of a dough wrapper around a filling.
2. (familiar) A term of endearment.

   My little dumpling.

3. (mildly vulgar) A piece of excrement.
   • 2018 Brent Butt as Brent Herbert Leroy, "Sasquatch Your Language", Corner Gas Animated

     Wherever legitimate tracks are found there's always some fresh scat, y'know, poo, flop, dumplings.

• See also Thesaurus:dumpling

• canederlo, gnocchi
• dim sim
• dim sum
• empanada
• har gow
• pierogi
• pelmeni
• quenelle
• ravioli
• shaomai, shumai
• wonton

• Webster's Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary, Springfield, Massachusetts, G.&C. Merriam Co., 1967

• dumpling on Wikipedia.Wikipedia