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

• fatness
• fat
• weight
• adiposity
• corpulence

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

Last month Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk launched its weight-loss drug, Wegovy, in South Africa, where increasingly widespread obesity has driven demand for such medication. —Preeti Jha, semafor.com, 5 Sep. 2025

West Virginia has the highest obesity rate in the nation among adults, according to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. —Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2025

Officials estimate the ban could prevent obesity in up to 40,000 children. —Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2025

Programs targeting infant mortality, youth violence, smoking, maternal and child health, mental health, obesity, lead poisoning and infectious disease tracking have been slashed. —Stan Chu Ilo, Chicago Tribune, 3 Sep. 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