plum
gb/plˈʌm/ us/plˈʌm/
A2
English
szilva, szilvafa, szilvaszínű, főnyeremény, remek, előnyös, teljesen
NOUN
A2
1
szilva
A1
Usage pattern:
a plum; plums; [food] made with plums
These plums are perfectly ripe and really sweet.
Ezek a szilvák tökéletesen érettek és nagyon édesek.
She sliced a plum and removed the stone.
Felszeletelt egy szilvát, és kivette a magját.
We bought a bag of plums at the farmers’ market.
Learner examples
I ate a plum after lunch.
Ebéd után ettem egy szilvát.
This plum is sweet.
Ez a szilva édes.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse plum (the fruit) with prune (a dried plum).
Meaning
a sweet oval stone fruit
Collocations
ripe plum
|juicy plum
|fresh plums
|plum season
|plum skin
|stone fruit
|plum jam
|plum tart
|plum pie
|plum compote
Themes
food
|cooking
|plants
|daily_life
Definition
A plum is a sweet fruit with a hard seed (stone) inside.
A small, sweet, soft fruit with smooth skin and a single hard stone inside, often purple, red, yellow, or green when ripe.
NOUN
B1
2
szilvafa
A2
Usage pattern:
a plum; a plum tree; plum trees
We planted a plum tree in the back garden.
Ültettünk egy szilvafát a hátsó kertbe.
The plum trees blossomed early this year.
A szilvafák idén korán virágoztak.
A storm broke several branches off the old plum.
Learner examples
There is a plum tree in our yard.
Van egy szilvafa az udvarunkban.
Common mistake:
In this sense, plum often appears in the phrase plum tree; it can be unclear whether plum refers to the fruit or the tree without context.
Meaning
the tree that grows plums
Collocations
plum tree
|plum orchard
|flowering plum
|wild plum
|plum blossom
|plant a plum tree
|prune a plum tree
|plum variety
Themes
plants
|nature
|gardening
Definition
A plum tree is a tree that grows plums.
A tree that produces plums.
B1
3
szilvaszínű
B1
Usage pattern:
plum + [noun] (plum dress/lipstick)
She chose a plum dress for the wedding.
Szilvaszínű ruhát választott az esküvőre.
The living room walls are painted a deep plum.
A nappali falai mély szilvaszínűre vannak festve.
He bought a plum tie to match his shirt.
Learner examples
My bag is plum.
A táskám szilvaszínű.
I like plum lipstick.
Szeretem a szilvaszínű rúzst.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse plum (purple-red) with purple (broader) or maroon (more brown-red).
Meaning
dark purplish-red color
Collocations
plum lipstick
|plum dress
|plum sweater
|plum shade
|plum velvet
|deep plum
|plum-colored
Synonyms
purple (Broader color category; plum is a specific dark purplish-red.)
Antonyms
pale (Opposite in intensity; plum is typically deep/dark.)
Themes
colors
|clothing
|design
Definition
Plum means a dark purple-red color.
Having a dark purplish-red color like that of many plums.
NOUN
B2
4
főnyeremény
B2
Usage pattern:
a plum; a plum for [someone]; a plum among [options]
That overseas posting is a real plum for anyone in the department.
Az a külföldi kiküldetés igazi főnyeremény lenne a részlegen bárkinek.
She landed a plum after the merger: a bigger team and a higher salary.
Az összeolvadás után igazi főnyeremény jutott neki: nagyobb csapat és magasabb fizetés.
The final interview slot was the plum among a week of meetings.
Learner examples
He got a plum position at the company.
Főnyereménynek számító pozíciót kapott a cégnél.
Common mistake:
This meaning is figurative; it does not refer to the fruit.
Meaning
a desirable job or benefit
Collocations
a real plum
|a plum role
|a plum contract
|a plum assignment
|a plum position
|land a plum
|a plum for someone
Synonyms
prize (Emphasizes something won or gained after effort or competition.)
|
perk (Usually a smaller advantage or benefit, often part of a job.)
Antonyms
dud (Something disappointing or not worth having.)
Themes
work
|business
|success
Definition
A plum is something very good that many people want, like a good job.
A very desirable or valuable opportunity, position, advantage, or reward.
B2
5
Usage pattern:
plum + [noun] (plum job/role/deal)
She was offered a plum job in the London office.
Remek állást ajánlottak neki a londoni irodában.
They negotiated a plum deal with the new supplier.
Nagyon előnyös megállapodást kötöttek az új beszállítóval.
It’s a plum assignment if you want international experience.
Learner examples
This is a plum opportunity.
Ez remek lehetőség.
Common mistake:
This sense is usually used before a noun (a plum job), not as a general adjective for people.
Meaning
highly desirable or attractive
Collocations
plum job
|plum role
|plum deal
|plum assignment
|plum contract
|plum spot
Synonyms
choice (Often informal; suggests top-quality or especially desirable.)
|
lucrative (Focuses specifically on making a lot of money.)
Antonyms
undesirable (Not wanted; lacking advantages.)
Themes
work
|business
Definition
Plum means very good and wanted by many people.
Very desirable, attractive, or advantageous, especially of a job, role, deal, or assignment.
C1
INFORMAL
6
teljesen
A2
Usage pattern:
plum + [adjective] (plum exhausted/plum out)
After the hike, I was plum exhausted.
A túra után teljesen kimerült voltam.
We were plum out of milk by Sunday morning.
Vasárnap reggelre teljesen kifogytunk a tejből.
Common mistake:
This is not standard in formal writing; learners may confuse it with plumb.
Meaning
completely; entirely (dialect)
Collocations
plum exhausted
|plum worn out
|plum out
Synonyms
completely (Standard and neutral.)
|
totally (Informal but widely used.)
Antonyms
partly (Only to some degree, not fully.)
Themes
daily_life
Definition
In some informal speech, plum can mean completely.
Completely or entirely (used in some regional or informal varieties of English).
Grammar
Dictionary form
plum
IPA
GB/plˈʌm/
US/plˈʌm/
Syllables & stress
plum (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (plum)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: plum
- Plural: plum, plums
Word family
Forms
plums
noun
Advanced or less common
plummy
adjective
Expressions
plum job
1/plˈʌm d͡ʒˈɑb/
fixed phrase
a very desirable job
A plum job is a very good job that many people want.
Examples
- He finally landed a plum job at a top tech company.
- It’s a plum job, but the hours are long.
- Several people applied for the plum job in marketing.
Learner examples
- She got a plum job.
plum pudding
1/plˈʌm pˈʊdɪŋ/
fixed phrase
traditional British steamed dessert
Plum pudding is a traditional British dessert, often eaten at Christmas.
Examples
- They served plum pudding with brandy butter after dinner.
- My grandmother makes plum pudding every Christmas.
- The recipe calls for dried fruit and spices for the plum pudding.
Learner examples
- We ate plum pudding at Christmas.
plum sauce
1/plˈʌm sˈɔs/
fixed phrase
sweet-and-sour dipping sauce
Plum sauce is a sweet sauce often eaten with some Chinese foods.
Examples
- We ordered crispy duck with pancakes and plum sauce.
- Dip the spring rolls in plum sauce.
- The restaurant served the dumplings with a side of plum sauce.
Learner examples
- I like plum sauce with duck.
plum tomato
1/plˈʌm təmˈeɪtoʊ/
fixed phrase
oval tomato used for cooking
A plum tomato is an oval tomato often used for cooking.
Examples
- Use plum tomatoes for a thicker pasta sauce.
- The recipe calls for two cans of whole plum tomatoes.
- She diced a few plum tomatoes for the stew.
Learner examples
- I bought canned plum tomatoes.
with a plum in your mouth
1/wˈɪθ ə plˈʌm ˈɪn jˈʊɹ mˈaʊθ/
idiom
informal
in an affected posh way
If you speak with a plum in your mouth, you sound very posh in an unnatural way.
Examples
- He puts on a fake accent and talks with a plum in his mouth.
- Stop speaking with a plum in your mouth—just say it normally.
- In the sketch, everyone talks with a plum in their mouth to sound rich.