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
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.
What the 2-year-old business does have is a bevy of fresh and frozen dim sum favorites, perfect for quick pickup and on-the-go Cantonese bites that are as inexpensive as any food around. Benjy Egel, Sacbee.com, 2 Apr. 2025 Feng is also behind the California fast-casual Dumpling Time dim sum chain, The Third Floor restaurant in San Francisco’s The Jay Hotel, Okane, Prelude and several other sushi restaurants in San Francisco. Nick Rosenberger, Idaho Statesman, 26 Mar. 2025 Guests at traditional dim sum restaurants are given menus to mark their selections. Brianna Taylor, Sacramento Bee, 14 Mar. 2025 Known for its masterful fusion of Chinese regional cooking, this restaurant has quickly earned a reputation for offering some of the most creative dumplings, noodle dishes and dim sum in the city. Chelsea Davis, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dim sum

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dim sum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dim%20sum. Accessed 7 Apr. 2025.

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!