An edible, fleshy stone fruit of species Prunus domestica (European plum) and Prunus americana American plum, often of a dark red or purple colour.
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A stone-fruit tree which bears this fruit, Prunus domestica.
› The fruit and its tree. › The edible, fleshy stone fruit of several… › Prunus sect. Prunus
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Prunus cerasifera (cherry plum or myrobalan).
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Prunus salicina (Chinese plum or Japanese plum).
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Prunus spinosa (sloe).
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Prunus ursina (bear's plum).
› The fruit and its tree. › The edible, fleshy stone fruit of several… › Prunus sect. Prunocerasus North American plums.
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Prunus americana (American plum).
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Prunus angustifolia (Chickasaw plum or sand plum).
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Prunus hortulana (hortulan plum).
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Prunus nigra (Canadian plum or black plum).
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Prunus rivularis (creek plum or hog plum).
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Prunus subcordata (Klamath plum or Oregon plum).
› The fruit and its tree. › The edible, fleshy stone fruit of several…
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Prunus sect. Armeniaca (better known as apricots).
› The fruit and its tree. › The edible, fleshy stone fruit of several… › Prunus sect. Armeniaca (better known as apricots).
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Prunus mume, an Asian fruit more closely related to the apricot than the plum, usually consumed pickled, dried, or as a juice or wine; ume.
› The fruit and its tree.
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Archaic A dried grape or raisin, as used in a pudding or cake.
“Bright boy! here’s a plum for you,” and Polly threw a plump raisin into his mouth.1870, Louisa May Alcott, An Old-Fashioned Girl:
Little Jack Horner sat in a corner, eating a Christmas pie; he put in his thumb, and he took out a plum, and said, “What a good boy am I!”1877, Mother Gooose’s Nursery Rhymes:
› Extended senses.
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Archaic One hundred thousand pounds; (generally) a fortune.
He […] acquired a plentiful fortune, tho', to his infinite regret, he died before it amounted to a Plum […].1751, [Tobias] Smollett, The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle […], volume (please specify |volume=I to IV), London: Harrison and Co., […], →OCLC:
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A desirable or choice thing of its kind; a prize selection; a choice appointment, assignment etc.
The mayor rewarded his cronies with cushy plums, requiring little work for handsome pay.
Such chances as this do not fall to a man's lot twice; but Edmond Werdet relates a story very similar indeed, and where also the "plums" fell into the lap of a London dealer.1880, William Blades, The Enemies of Books, page 52:
1 more example
As to Rev. Jerry [Falwell], he, of course, is "not anti-homosexual" but "anti-homosexuality." I guess that's his same bit of down home sophistry that explains that God listens to the prayers of Jews, if they are consciously praying to a Christian God, one of the Rev.'s latest dialectic plums.1980 December 13, Ronnie Allen, “Anita's Latest”, in Gay Community News, volume 8, number 21, page 5:
Etymology From Middle English plomme, ploume, from Old English plūme, from Proto-West Germanic *plūmā, borrowed from Latin prūnum. Doublet of prune.
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Of a dark bluish-red colour.
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Choice; especially lavish or preferred.
She landed a plum position as an executive for the firm.
It is obviously a "plum" job, one distinction being that its motormen are granted an allowance of about 6s. [six shillings] towards the cost of Wagons-Lits food in the crew quarters of the train, [...]. Additionally, by the way, each man is allowed a quarter of a bottle of wine "on the house" per trip!1960 March, G. Freeman Allen, “Europe's most luxurious express - the "Settebello"”, in Trains Illustrated, page 146: