Plum is a word with several meaningsdifferent senses or interpretations a word or expression can have. It can refer to a fruit or the tree that bears it, and it can also be used in a few older or informalused in casual speech, not in strict or official language ways as an adverba word that modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb and noun.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-16. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /pləm/
Easy pronunciation: PLUM (approximate spelling).
Stress: One syllable; stress is on the only syllable.
Fruit noun sense: a small round or oval fruit with smooth skin and a hard stone inside.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-16. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Plum Meaning
the fruit itself
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a small round or oval fruit with smooth skin and a hard stone inside
Example: She added sliced plum to the salad.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- plum — The source data does not provide a separate stronger everyday synonym for the fruit sense.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-16. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Plum
Meaning 2
the tree that produces plums
Part of speech: noun
Definition: any of several trees producing edible oval fruit having a smooth skin and a single hard stone
Example: The plum tree bloomed early this spring.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- plum tree — Direct match for the tree sense.
Meaning 3
exactly or directly
Part of speech: adverb
Definition: exactly
Example: The arrow landed plumb in the center of the target.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- plumb — Standard spelling for this adverbial sense.
Meaning 4
completely; very
Part of speech: adverb
Definition: completely; used as intensifiers
Example: I'm plumb worn out.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- clean — Only works in older informal usage, not in general modern speech.
- plumb — Common variant spelling in this intensifying sense.
Meaning 5
a very good opportunity or job
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a highly desirable position or assignment
Example: Winning that contract was a political plum.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-16. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Plum Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- plum
the tree that produces plums
- plum tree
exactly, directly
- plumb
completely; very
- plumb
- clean
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-16. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- People sometimes confuse plum with plumb, but plumb is the usual spelling for the adverb meaning "exactly" or "completely."
- Plum as a noun usually means the fruit, not the tree; the tree is plum tree.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-16. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does plum mean?
Plum can mean the fruit, the tree that bears it, or in informal use it can mean something desirable or be used as an adverb meaning "completely" or "exactly."
What is the synonym of plum?
For the fruit sense, the source data does not give a strong separate synonym. For the tree sense, plum tree is the direct match, and for the adverb senses, plumb is the main related form.
Is plum a noun or an adverb?
It can be both. It is most commonly a noun for the fruit, but it also has adverb and figurative noun uses.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-16. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.