lump
n. countablen. a small piece of something solid with no clear shape. You might find one in your bed, in your food, or even on your body if you get hurt.
n. a compact mass of a substance, typically without a definite or regular shape. Often refers to a swelling under the skin or a solid piece of a granular substance like sugar or coal.
He put a lump of sugar in his tea.
The doctor examined the small lump on the patient's arm to ensure it was not a serious injury.
Geologists discovered a massive lump of quartz embedded deep within the granite, suggesting a unique cooling process during the mountain's formation.
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”).
Commonly paired with 'of' to describe the material, such as 'a lump of coal' or 'a lump of clay'.