Dumplings

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Small parcels of dough that are commonly stuffed with various fillings such as meats or vegetables and then boiled or steamed
2. These are bite-sized dough creations typically filled with either meat or vegetables, cooked through steaming or boiling methods
3. Small, often rounded pieces of dough that can encase a variety of fillings, including meats and vegetables, and are usually prepared by boiling or steaming them

Etymology: "Dumpling" is the plural form of "dumpling," so it is a form of a single word rather than a separate entry. The singular goes back to a term that first appears around the 1600s and is tied to Norfolk, in the East Anglian region of England, where it was a local word before it spread more widely. Its exact origin is uncertain. One suggestion links it to a Low German word connected to "dümpeln," meaning bobbing up and down, which would fit a lump floating in boiling liquid. Another connects it to "dump," a rare dialect word for a lump of dough, with the diminutive suffix "-ling" added. That second idea is plausible, though "dumpling" is attested earlier than the late 1800s date for "dump," so the link cannot be confirmed. The word "dumpy," meaning short and stout, may also be related.

Synonyms: potstickers, knishes