Podge

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /pɒd͡ʒ/

Definitions

1. A term used to describe a person who is somewhat overweight or rounded in figure, as well as an object that possesses a compact and curvy shape
2. This expression can refer to a chubby individual or a bulky item that appears thicker and rounder
3. A word describing someone with a soft, rounded body shape or an object that is thick and rounded in form

Etymology: The word "podge" is a short, plump person, and its likely ancestor is "pudsy," an older English adjective meaning plump or chubby. Whether "pudsy" itself came first or the two words grew up side by side is uncertain, but the trail leads back to "pud," a word for a child's hand or a dog's forepaw. That image of something small, round and stubby is a plausible root for the idea of a squat, well-fed figure. The link is a guess rather than a proven chain, so it is worth keeping the shape of the argument clear. "Pud" is a plausible source for "pudsy" because diminutive forms were a common way of building affectionate or descriptive words in English dialect, and "pudsy" then gives "podge" a sense of cuddly stoutness. Each step fits the pattern of the sounds and meanings, though no document settles the matter.

Synonyms: bulge, protrusion