plum

plum · noun, adjective¹

1. Ancient Greekπροῦμνον (proûmnon)
2. Latinprūnum
3. Vulgar Latin*prūma
4. Proto-West Germanic*plūmā
5. Old Englishplūme
6. Middle Englishplomme
7. English todayplum

From Middle English plomme, ploume, from Old English plūme, from Proto-West Germanic *plūmā, borrowed from Latin prūnum. Doublet of prune.

plum · adjective, adverb, verb²

Phonetically-based spelling of plumb.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 8th c. An edible, fleshy stone fruit of species Prunus domestica (European plum) and Prunus americana American plum, often of a dark red or purple colour.
• from 8th c. A stone-fruit tree which bears this fruit, Prunus domestica.
• from 16th c. Prunus cerasifera (cherry plum or myrobalan).
• from 16th c. Prunus salicina (Chinese plum or Japanese plum).
• from 16th c. Prunus spinosa (sloe).
• from 16th c. Prunus ursina (bear's plum).
• from 16th c. Prunus americana (American plum).
• from 16th c. Prunus angustifolia (Chickasaw plum or sand plum).