corpulent

adjective

cor·​pu·​lent ˈkȯr-pyə-lənt How to pronounce corpulent (audio)
: having a large bulky body : obese
… were a bit corpulent from too many years of privileged living …Thomas Cutler
corpulently adverb

Did you know?

The Duchess of Windsor may have said that you can never be too rich or too thin, but that's a rather modern point of view. In earlier times in Europe, being overweight was considered a sign of wealth and well-being, as demonstrated by the corpulence of many European kings. Still today, corpulence is thought to be superior to thinness in some of the world's cultures. But corpulent and corpulence are less often used than they once were, and we're now probably more likely to say "obese" and "obesity".

Examples of corpulent in a Sentence

a corpulent, elegantly dressed opera singer came out and sang, and we knew it was over
Recent Examples on the Web So does the casting of Martin Short as Kingfish, a corpulent gill-man who lays around like Jabba the Hutt. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 21 Dec. 2023 But as the public elects the most corpulent contender, some will take more than just bulk into consideration. Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Sep. 2023 Many of his pictures were of corpulent figures poised between caricature and pathos. Stephen Kinzer, BostonGlobe.com, 15 Sep. 2023 The Horatio Alger myth, a formulaic saga that impoverished youths fortuitously assisting prosperous corpulent strangers needing help will be rewarded with a life of prosperity is a fiction. Time, 17 Aug. 2023 The most remarkable yaksha here is a magnificent, free-standing sculpture, his corpulent belly overhanging his knotted waist sash. Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 14 Aug. 2023 The Portuguese known their way around a suckling pig, among other meats, so these corpulent reds are up to the task. Liza B. Zimmerman, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2022 There are men who prefer very small breasts, men who prefer corpulent women, and so forth. Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 13 Jan. 2011 That outrageous spectacle is instantly topped by a kinky scene in what could be Fatty Arbuckle’s bedroom, as a corpulent silent comic giddily awaits his golden shower. Peter Debruge, Variety, 16 Dec. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'corpulent.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French, borrowed from Latin corpulentus, from corpus "body" + -ulentus "having in quantity, full of" — more at midriff

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of corpulent was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near corpulent

Cite this Entry

“Corpulent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/corpulent. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

corpulent

adjective
cor·​pu·​lent ˈkȯr-pyə-lənt How to pronounce corpulent (audio)
: very fat : obese

Medical Definition

corpulent

adjective
cor·​pu·​lent -lənt How to pronounce corpulent (audio)
: having a large bulky body : obese
corpulently adverb

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