Plonge

Plonge is a French term with several related meanings, depending on context. It derives from the verb plonger, meaning to dive, dip, or submerge.

In culinary usage, la plonge refers to the dishwashing area of a kitchen and to the work performed there. The phrase faire la plonge means to wash dishes and utensils, often at the end of service. The people who work in this station are called the plongeur (male) or plongeuse (female). The plonge area typically contains sinks, industrial dishwashers, and drying racks, and it operates as a back-of-house service hub that supports food preparation and hygiene.

As a verb form, plonge is the present tense for the subject je, il, or elle of the verb plonger: je plonge (I dive), tu plonges (you dive), il plonge (he dives). This usage covers diving in sports, submerging objects, or any act of dipping beneath the surface. It is common in everyday French and in narratives about swimming or underwater activity.

Related terms include plongee, the noun for the act or sport of diving, often translated as diving or plunge. A professional or technical diver is referred to as a plongeur, with plongeuse as the female form. In culinary and industrial contexts, plongeur can also denote a worker responsible for underwater tasks in some specialized fields.

In summary, plonge can denote the kitchen dishwashing station and its staff, or function as a verb form meaning to dive or submerge, with related terms in diving such as plongee and plongeur reflecting the broader family of meanings connected to submersion and cleaning.