A plum is a small, sweet fruit with smooth skin, soft flesh, and a single hard pit in the center. It can be eaten fresh, dried (as a prune), or used in cooking and baking.
From Old English *plume*, from Latin *prūnum* “plum, prune,” likely via Old French. The word has been in English for over a thousand years, shifting in spelling but not in basic meaning.
In English, *plum* can also mean something very desirable, like a “plum job.” It’s a reminder of how strongly food and sweetness are tied to our ideas of reward and good fortune.
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