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corpulent

adjective
cor·​pu·​lent | \ ˈkȯr-pyÉ™-lÉ™nt How to pronounce corpulent (audio) \

Definition of corpulent

: having a large bulky body : obese … were a bit corpulent from too many years of privileged living …— Thomas Cutler
Other Words from corpulent Synonyms & Antonyms Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about corpulent

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Other Words from corpulent

corpulently adverb

Synonyms & Antonyms for corpulent

Synonyms

blubbery, chubby, fat, fleshy, full, gross, lardy, obese, overweight, plump, podgy [chiefly British], portly, pudgy, replete, roly-poly, rotund, round, tubby

Antonyms

lean, skinny, slender, slim, spare, thin

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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

 Grayson Perry’s show last year was corpulent, even gluttonous. — Brian T. Allen, National Review, "The Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition Takes a Traditional Turn," 13 July 2019 The corpulent merchant was even prouder to show it off to the young Duke of Saxe-Weimar and his new privy councilor, Johann Wolfgang Goethe. — Andrew Roberts, The New York Review of Books, "Ferdinand Mount," 6 June 2019 Congress may again be forced to bundle many (but not all) of the spending bills together into another corpulent package, funding the government. — Chad Pergram, Fox News, "Proposed DACA pathway complicates border wall funding," 25 June 2018 Why portray him as dark, corpulent and almost animal-like? — Marcos Breton, sacbee, "He was immortalized by Hunter S. Thompson for the wrong reasons. Now hear his story | The Sacramento Bee," 25 Mar. 2018 And Rex Stout’s corpulent genius, Nero Wolfe, investigated criminal cases without budging from his elegant Manhattan townhouse. — Marilyn Stasio, New York Times, "In a New Crime Lineup, a Supine Swede and Private Eyes With Bad Habits," 7 June 2017 The more corpulent criminal began firing away, launching the three customers toward the ground or hiding places. — David J. Neal, miamiherald, "West Park pawn shop robbers found tables turned, doors locked, shots fired," 31 May 2017 Ambrogio Maestri will play the corpulent title character. — Compiled By Christopher D. Shea, New York Times, "Opera, Ballet and More Treats for Fall: Global Arts Guide," 26 Oct. 2016 His address to a suffragists' convention had bombed, perhaps because the corpulent leader had insulted his female audience. — Frank Fitzpatrick, Philly.com, "When a president's brother owned the Phillies," 29 Apr. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'corpulent.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of corpulent

14th century, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for corpulent

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

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More Definitions for corpulent

corpulent

adjective
How to pronounce corpulent (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of corpulent

formal : fat

See the full definition for corpulent in the English Language Learners Dictionary

corpulent

adjective
cor·​pu·​lent | \ ˈkȯr-pyÉ™-lÉ™nt How to pronounce corpulent (audio) \

Kids Definition of corpulent

: very fat

corpulent

adjective
cor·​pu·​lent | \ -lÉ™nt How to pronounce corpulent (audio) \

Medical Definition of corpulent

: having a large bulky body : obese

Other Words from corpulent

corpulently adverb

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More from Merriam-Webster on corpulent

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for corpulent

Spanish Central: Translation of corpulent

Nglish: Translation of corpulent for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of corpulent for Arabic Speakers

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