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obesity

noun

obe·​si·​ty ō-ˈbē-sə-tē How to pronounce obesity (audio)
Synonyms of obesitynext
: 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 of obesity

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Examples of obesity in a Sentence

obesity has been linked to a number of health risks, such as heart disease
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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Eli Lilly has the strongest obesity pipeline and current treatments. — Jeff Marks, CNBC, 22 Sep. 2026 Some groups face higher risk, including infants, pregnant women, adults over 65 and people with conditions like diabetes, obesity or kidney disease. — Andrés Henao, CNN Money, 21 Sep. 2026 Testosterone, obesity, diet, and smoking have not been proven to directly cause prostate cancer. — Md Published, Verywell Health, 21 Sep. 2026 In clinical studies of people taking the medications for obesity, fat mass generally accounts for more of the lost weight than lean mass, Campbell pointed out. — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 20 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for obesity

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of obesity was circa 1611

Phrases Containing obesity

Browse Nearby Words

obese
obesity
obesogenic
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Cite this Entry

“Obesity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/obesity. Accessed 28 Sep. 2026.

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Medical Definition

obesity

noun
obe·​si·​ty ō-ˈbē-sət-ē How to pronounce obesity (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on obesity

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about obesity

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