obesity

noun

obe·​si·​ty ō-ˈbē-sə-tē 

: a condition characterized by the excessive accumulation and storage of fat in the body

Obesity affects not just appearance, but disease processes as well.

—Malorye Allison

Synonyms

• adiposity
• chubbiness
• corpulence
• corpulency
• embonpoint
• fat
• fatness
• fattiness
• fleshiness
• grossness
• plumpness
• portliness
• pudginess
• pursiness
• rotundity
• weight

Examples of obesity in a Sentence

obesity has been linked to a number of health risks, such as heart disease

Recent Examples on the Web

Trump's return puts Medicaid on the chopping block New recommendations to measure obesity go beyond controversial BMI Why a home equity loan is better than a credit card now Alexander Tin Alexander Tin is a digital reporter for CBS News based in the Washington, D.C. bureau. —Alexander Tin, CBS News, 15 Jan. 2025

An international commission says obesity should be assessed in a way that goes beyond the body mass index. —Alex Knapp, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025

An international committee of scientists has proposed a change to the way obesity is defined and diagnosed. —Allison Aubrey, NPR, 15 Jan. 2025

Doing regular physical activity, such as walking, cycling, or strength training, to improve insulin sensitivity and help manage weight gain (as obesity is a significant risk factor for type 2 diabetes). —Carisa Brewster, Verywell Health, 14 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French obesité, borrowed from Latin obēsitāt-, obēsitās, from obēsus "fat, stout" + -itāt-, -itās -ity — more at obese

First Known Use

circa 1611, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing obesity

• anti-obesity

Medical Definition

obesity

noun

obe·​si·​ty ō-ˈbē-sət-ē 

plural obesities

: a condition that is characterized by excessive accumulation and storage of fat in the body and that in an adult is typically indicated by a body mass index of 30 or greater