plural dim sums also dim sum
: traditional Chinese food consisting of a variety of items (such as steamed or fried dumplings, pieces of cooked chicken, and rice balls) served in small portions

Examples of dim sum in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web There's something seriously delish about dumplings and dim sum, and a brand-new restaurant in Wauwatosa promises both. Bridget Fogarty, Journal Sentinel, 19 Oct. 2024 The modern Chinese-American restaurant offers dim sum, noodles and rice dishes and house specials. Jessica Rodriguez, Journal Sentinel, 4 Oct. 2024 Dallas-Fort Worth travelers who want to take high tea overlooking Victoria Harbour at the Peninsula Hong Kong or chow down on dim sum have a new way to get to the bustling Asian metropolis next spring. Edward Russell, Travel + Leisure, 24 Sep. 2024 Daily Total: $0 Day Four 7 a.m. — Up and leave at 8 a.m. for dim sum with my cousin’s family. R29 Team, refinery29.com, 23 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for dim sum 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dim sum.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Chinese (Guangdong) dímsām, from dím dot, speck + sām heart

First Known Use

1948, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dim sum was in 1948

Dictionary Entries Near dim sum

Cite this Entry

“Dim sum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dim%20sum. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!