How to pronounce plum
Say it like PLUHM. Plum is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce plum. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- PLUHM
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Plum pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- PLUHMSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "u" in cup.
American vs British pronunciation of plum
American and British speakers say plum in essentially the same way: /plʌm/ in the US and /plʌm/ in the UK.
British respelling: PLUHM.
What does plum mean?
- exactly“fell plumb in the middle of the puddle”
- completely; used as intensifiers“clean forgot the appointment”“I'm plumb (or plum) tuckered out”
- any of several trees producing edible oval fruit having a smooth skin and a single hard stone
- any of numerous varieties of small to medium-sized round or oval fruit having a smooth skin and a single pit
- a highly desirable position or assignment“a political plum”
Where does plum come from?
From Middle English plomme, ploume, from Old English plūme, from Proto-West Germanic *plūmā, borrowed from Latin prūnum.
Words that rhyme with plum
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of plum.
Words that sound like plum
Questions about saying plum
How do you pronounce plum?
Say PLUHM. The American pronunciation is /plʌm/. In British English it is /plʌm/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in plum?
Plum is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: PLUHM.
Do Americans and Brits say plum the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /plʌm/ and the British form is /plʌm/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.
What words sound the same as plum?
Plum sounds the same as plumb in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.