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 of obesity

• 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

The Sacramento County Coroner’s Office determined Quinonez Palomares died of cardiovascular disease, with obesity listed as a significant contributing condition. — Daniel Hunt, Sacbee.com, 15 July 2026

According to Priya Jaisinghani, MD, an endocrinologist and obesity medicine specialist at NYU Langone Health, people commonly turn to peptides to lose weight, grow muscle, support exercise recovery, and enhance longevity. — Jenna Anderson, Health, 13 July 2026

The biotech company is in the early stages of developing an experimental implant of semaglutide, the active ingredient in Novo Nordisk's blockbuster obesity injection Wegovy and diabetes counterpart Ozempic. — Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 11 July 2026

Meanwhile, Roche has abandoned two Huntington’s gene-silencing drugs after disappointing data, and drugmakers have stepped in to promote Medicare’s new obesity drug discount program. — Meghana Keshavan, STAT, 10 July 2026

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