Meaning 1
Rich, rounded, and resonant in sound, especially in a voice.
Reach for it when describing a full, polished vocal quality with an upper-class British association
A plummy contralto voice gave the old ballad depth and warmth.
Meaning 2
Especially desirable, rewarding, or choice.
Reach for it when marking an opportunity or role as unusually attractive
The plummy assignment offered months inside the newly opened archive.
| Meaning 1 | Meaning 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| playful |
|
|
| warm | ||
| professional | ||
| formal | ||
| literary |
warm
Suits a full sound with satisfying depth and overtones
Careful Rich also describes flavor, color, and content, so context must establish sound.
professional
Fits when a voice has depth and carries strongly
Careful Resonant lacks the social and stylistic associations of plummy.
professional
Fits when smooth balance across a voice's tone is the focus
Careful Rounded is technical and does not imply volume or social accent.
literary
sonorous
Fits if a deep, imposing sound deserves elevated description
Careful Sonorous is grander and may feel heavy rather than pleasant.
professional
coveted
Fits if many people actively want the opportunity
Careful Coveted describes demand and may introduce rivalry absent from plummy.
formal
Suits an opportunity selected as one of the best available
Careful Choice is concise but can sound dated in this adjective use.
plummy voice
The narrator's plummy voice suited the stately country-house scenes.
plummy tones
Plummy tones rolled through the hall during the comic announcement.
plummy role
The revival gave its veteran actor a plummy role full of sharp dialogue.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Vealhurl, Southern England accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Updated
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