Skip to main content
corpulence

corpulence

1 8.7
Too much body fat that makes a person very heavy
  • noun
  • /ˈkɔrpjələns/
  • Formal
translation icon : corpulencia

Examples

  • You and I have a tendency towards corpulence.

  • Corpulence makes a man reasonable, pleasant and phlegmatic.

  • Well, didn't that depend on whether or not you thought corpulence was an attractive trait?

    Fiction book (1993)
  • Of late, my best defense against corpulence has been to keep out of the house supplies of things to eat that reason cautions I shouldn't be stuffing into myself.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • Clearly, in these pictures, it was not only okay but even admirable to be undressed outside, showing off one’s corpulence proudly in public.

    Academic text (2007)
  • Her features, always merry, attained an even deeper luminous glow, and because of her corpulence, her skin stayed creamy and unweathered, her lips full and soft.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • It sounds like an impressively discouraging number, but still, it leaves us with the idea that 5% of fat people are able to leave their corpulence behind and join the world of respectable, acceptable, normal-weight humanity.

    Blog text (4)
  • His corpulence made it difficult for him to fit into the airplane seat.

  • The doctor explained that her corpulence increased the risk of certain health issues.

  • Despite his corpulence, he was a surprisingly agile dancer at the party.

Synonyms

obesity
vscorpulence
146 3.9

A condition where a person has too much body fat that harms health

is a general term for excessive body fat without medical emphasis
fatness
vscorpulence
6 1.0

A state of having too much body weight

means excessive body fat specifically rather than general heaviness
overweight
vscorpulence
1 2.4

A condition of having more body fat than is healthy

describes a stronger excessive level rather than mild excess
corpulency
vscorpulence
  • Formal
9.6

Being very fat or much heavier than is healthy

is identical in meaning but differs in spelling or form
adiposis
vscorpulence
  • Specialized
9.9

A condition of having too much body fat that can harm health

is the general concept rather than a technical diagnosis
stoutness
vscorpulence
5.5

Having a fairly heavy, solid body

conveys a stronger excessive fat condition rather than mild solidity
paunchiness
vscorpulence
8.3

A belly that sticks out and looks large

applies to general excessive body fat not limited to the belly

Antonyms

1 2.7

Being thin in a way that looks attractive

How Fat

obesity
146 3.9
corpulence
  • Formal
1 8.7
overweight
1 2.4
slimness
1 2.7

Surface Forms

corpulence singular
corpulences plural

Morphology

corpulence = corpulent (transparent) = corpulent + ence

The noun is a regular nominalization of the adjective 'corpulent' using -ence to indicate the state or quality.

Etymology

Corpulence comes from the Latin root corpus meaning 'body' and an ending that means 'full of' (-ulent). So corpulence literally meant 'full of body', which helps explain why today it describes having too much body fat.