Abdominous

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /æbˈdɒm.ə.nəs/

Definitions

1. Describing a person with a noticeably swollen abdomen often associated with excessive fat deposition
2. Having a prominent or distended belly that signifies potential overweight or obesity is a characteristic of this term
3. Characterized by a noticeably large belly often indicating excess body fat

Etymology: "Abdominous" is a plain formation: it takes "abdomin-", the combining form of "abdomen" (from Latin "abdomen", the belly or lower body), and adds the English adjective-forming suffix "-ous", meaning "full of" or "having the quality of," as in "famous" or "nervous." Put together, the word describes someone or something possessing a large belly. The Latin root of "abdomen" is itself of uncertain origin, though it is traditionally linked to "abdere," to hide or conceal, perhaps reflecting the belly as the region enclosed within the body's walls. Whatever its ultimate source, the "abdomin-" stem reached English through the scientific and medical vocabulary that drew on Latin, which is why "abdominous" sounds more clinical than its everyday cousin "potbellied."

Synonyms: potbellied, paunchy, rotund, bulging, stout

Antonyms: slim, thin, lean, slender, skinny