Stodge

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /stɒd͡ʒ/

Definitions

1. A thick and often unpalatable mixture that may be burdensome
2. Food that is difficult to digest due to thickness or density
3. A meal or substance that feels exceptionally filling and cloying

Etymology: Stodge first turns up in English in the late 17th century, and its origin is a blend of sounds rather than a clear ancestor. It is generally thought to have been suggested by "stuff" and "podge", the latter a dialect word for a thick, lumpy mixture, so the new word packed the sense of something dense and filling into a single punchy syllable. It sits in a family of related coinages, and "stog" is a close relative with a similar heavy, solid feel. The word's meaning has stayed remarkably faithful to that first impression. It names food that sits heavily in the stomach, usually starch-laden and dense, the sort of pudding or stew that leaves you wanting to lie down afterwards. Its sound does much of the work: the short vowel and the closing "dge" make it feel as stolid as the thing it describes.

Synonyms: heavy food, filler, sludge

Antonyms: light food, delicacy