chum

1 of 5

noun (1)

ˈchəm How to pronounce chum (audio)
Synonyms of chumnext
: a close friend : pal
chumship
ˈchəm-ˌship How to pronounce chum (audio)
noun

chum

2 of 5

verb (1)

chummed; chumming

intransitive verb

1
: to room together
2
a
: to be a close friend
b
: to show affable friendliness
c
: to spend time with someone as a friend
—usually used with around
In the early '50s he entered Cornell University but quit after two years and lit out for Greenwich Village, where he studied drama and chummed around with James Dean.—William Plummer et al.

chum

3 of 5

noun (2)

: animal or vegetable matter (such as chopped fish or corn) thrown overboard to attract fish

chum

4 of 5

verb (2)

chummed; chumming

transitive verb

: to attract with chum

intransitive verb

: to throw chum overboard to attract fish

chum

5 of 5

noun (3)

: chum salmon

Synonyms

Noun (1)

Verb (1)

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 

Examples of chum in a Sentence

Noun (1) college chums who go way back Verb (1) they always chum around together
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
These five are chum, sockeye, Chinook, Coho, and pink - with pink being the smallest and most abundant species and Chinook being the largest and least abundant, per the Pacific Salmon Foundation. —Daryl Austin, USA TODAY, 11 Oct. 2024 His med school chum Carol (Tamberla Perry) offers him a gig as head of neurology at Bronx General. —Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Verb
From modifying gill nets to employing chumming techniques, fishers are innovating to enhance catch efficiency while minimizing environmental impact. —Melissa Cristina Marquez, Forbes, 14 Oct. 2024 One of the biggest acts to come out of the now-defunct record label, the 16-time Grammy nominee chummed it up with the real estate tycoon during his reality TV heyday. —Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 29 Jan. 2024 See all Example Sentences for chum 

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

earlier "roommate, person living in the same dwelling," perhaps by shortening & alteration from chamber fellow or chamber mate

Verb (1)

verbal derivative of chum entry 1

Noun (2)

of uncertain origin

Note: The word is apparently first attested along the New England coast. The Dictionary of American Regional English suggests a relation to "obs[olete] Engl[ish] & Scots dial[ect] chum food," but the sole attestation of such a word ("chum food, provision for the belly, Clydes[dale]") is in John Jamieson's Etymological Dictionary of the Scottish Language (1808). Possibly related is chum "a formless mass (of vegetables) from over-boiling," in the Dictionary of Newfoundland English, which points to Ulster Scots champ "potatoes, boiled and mashed," recorded in Joseph Wright's English Dialect Dictionary. This would presumably connect the word to champ entry 1.

Verb (2)

verbal derivative of chum entry 3

Noun (3)

probably borrowed from Chinook Jargon cəm "spotted, striped," from Lower Chinook c̓ə́m "variegated"

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1684, in the meaning defined above

Verb (1)

1730, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1857, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

1857, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun (3)

1902, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of chum was in 1684

Phrases Containing chum

Dictionary Entries Near chum

Chulyma Tatar

chum

Chumash

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Chum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chum. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

chum

1 of 2 noun
ˈchəm How to pronounce chum (audio)
: a close friend

chum

2 of 2 verb
chummed; chumming
: to be chums
Etymology

Noun

probably a shortened and altered form of earlier chamber fellow "roommate"

More from Merriam-Webster on chum

Nglish: Translation of chum for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of chum for Arabic Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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