Definition of plump

The English word "plump" is derived from the Middle Dutch word "ploem" or "ploemig," which means "round" or "full." This Dutch word was most likely borrowed by the Old English language upon the arrival of the Normans in the 11th century. The Old English word for "round" or "full" was "hrū" (pronounced "hroo"), which shares a substratal connection with the Germanic word "hrugō" meaning "swelling" or "round object." However, around the 14th century, the Middle Dutch word "ploem" replaced the Old English word "hrū" and its Germanic analogue to mean "full" or "round," particularly in reference to fruits and vegetables. In the late Middle English period, from around the 15th century onwards, the word "plump," meaning "fat" or "plumply," began to emerge as a variant form of "ploem" or "ploemig." This new term seemed to have been influenced by the Old Norse word "plumb" meaning "to swell" or "to be full," which was preserved in some dialects of Scandinavian languages. Overall, the origin of "plump" can be traced back to various Germanic words for "full" or "round," which were borrowed or adapted by Middle Dutch and Middle English speakers in different times and under varying linguistic and cultural circumstances.