Plummy
adj.joyful, calmplayful
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.
Choose between these
4- warm
for a full sound with satisfying depth and overtones
not when Rich also describes flavor, color, and content, so context must establish sound.
- professional
when a voice has depth and carries strongly
not when Resonant lacks the social and stylistic associations of plummy.
- professional
when smooth balance across a voice's tone is the focus
not when Rounded is technical and does not imply volume or social accent.
- literary
sonorous
if a deep, imposing sound deserves elevated description
not when Sonorous is grander and may feel heavy rather than pleasant.
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.
Choose between these
2- professional
coveted
if many people actively want the opportunity
not when Coveted describes demand and may introduce rivalry absent from plummy.
- formal
for an opportunity selected as one of the best available
not when Choice is concise but can sound dated in this adjective use.
Said against
4- thin
- shrill
- undesirable
- thankless
It naturally appears in
3- 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.
Where this comes from
- wiktionary, English adjective sense: rich and resonant in sound opens in a new tab for meaning 1 · retrieved 2026-07-26
- wiktionary, English figurative adjective sense: desirable or choice opens in a new tab for meaning 2 · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.