dumpling
UK[ˈdʌmplɪŋ]US[ˈdʌmplɪŋ]
n
A small savory ball of dough, often with a filling, cooked by boiling, steaming, or frying.
n
A dessert consisting of baked or steamed fruit enclosed in a dough.
Etymology
The word 'dumpling' first appeared in English around the 17th century. Its origin is somewhat obscure but is likely an informal, playful coinage, possibly related to the verb 'dump' in its now-archaic sense of 'to form into a lump or ball'. The addition of the diminutive suffix '-ling' creates a sense of a small, compact mass. This etymological story reflects the food's basic nature: a small, lumpish ball of dough. Over time, the term expanded from its simple English origins to encompass a wide variety of filled and unfilled dough-based dishes from many world cuisines.
Analysis
The word 'dumpling' is a simplex word of English origin. It is not productively formed from smaller, meaningful morphemes in modern English. The suffix '-ling' is a diminutive suffix from Old English, but in this case, it is not a separable, meaningful element from the root 'dump-'.
Examples
She served delicious pork dumplings with a soy-based dipping sauce.
For dessert, we had warm apple dumplings with vanilla ice cream.
He learned how to fold the wrappers to make perfect pleated dumplings.