Corpulent

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈkɔːpjələnt/

Definitions

1. Being significantly larger in body size suggests excessive fat or weight
2. Having a notably large physique often associated with high levels of body fat
3. Having an unusually large body size due to excess fat accumulation

Etymology: Latin "corpulentus" was built from "corpus," meaning "body," and it simply meant "fleshy" or "stout" with no sting attached. The word was taken into Middle English from Old French "corpulent," which had itself borrowed the Latin form. Its core idea is bodily bulk, so the adjective has always described the physical frame rather than any judgment of character. Because the word arrived through French, it is a learned borrowing that came into English alongside many other Latin-derived terms, which is why it sounds more formal than its everyday synonyms. The Latin root "corpus" is also the source of "corpse," "corporal," and "corporation," though those reached English by different routes and have drifted in very different directions.

Synonyms: obese, overweight, plump, rotund, stout

Antonyms: thin, slim, skinny, lean