Added 1 October 2026
lump
/lʌmp/ noun
In Latin: glaeba, massa, mōlēs Wiktionary
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about lump at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
-
Something that protrudes, sticks out, or sticks together; a cluster or blob; a mound or mass of no particular shape.
Stir the gravy until there are no more lumps.
-
A swelling or nodule of tissue under the skin or in an internal part of the body.
Lumps in the breasts are an indicator of breast cancer.
-
A group, set, or unit.
The money arrived all at once as one big lump sum payment.
verb
-
To treat as a single unit; to group together in a casual or chaotic manner (as if forming an ill-defined lump of the items).
People tend to lump turtles and tortoises together, when in fact they are different creatures.
- To bear (a heavy or awkward burden); to carry (something unwieldy) from one place to another.
- To burden (someone) with an undesired task or responsibility.
Origin
From Middle English lumpe, from a Germanic base akin to Proto-Germanic *limpaną (“to glide, go, hang loosely”). Compare Dutch lomp (“rag”), German Low German Lump (“rag”), German Lumpen (“rag”) and Lump (“ragamuffin”).
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)