butterball

noun

but·​ter·​ball ˈbə-tər-ˌbȯl How to pronounce butterball (audio)
1
2
: a chubby person

Example Sentences

I was a little butterball when I was a child.
Recent Examples on the Web Having a butterball with this group. Kelly Allen, House Beautiful, 20 July 2020 Mine was about four pounds and round as a butterball. Jim Gronaw, baltimoresun.com/maryland/carroll, 14 Nov. 2021 Add a little ice water and then fold and knead the butterball into it, letting the cold consolidate the smooth yellow surface and carry away trace amounts of buttermilk. Alexandra Kleeman, New York Times, 12 Aug. 2020 The recipes range from simple applesauce to pecan butterball cookies to tomato aspic. Ellen Fort, Sunset Magazine, 9 Mar. 2020 Anchorage Farmers Market: Sarah Bean of Arctic Organics says the potato harvest is complete and this week’s selection includes yellow Finn, Yukon gold, magic Molly purple, magic Myrna, Desirée, German butterball and mini mix. Steve Edwards, Anchorage Daily News, 26 Sep. 2019 Adding Pikachu to the game, says Masuda, would allow players to feel like Ash — the star of the animated show — with the iconic butterball riding around on their shoulder. Megan Farokhmanesh, The Verge, 30 May 2018 Davis still has some storage crops from last autumn available, including orange and purple carrots, along with German butterball and fiesta potatoes. Steve Edwards, Anchorage Daily News, 25 Apr. 2018 German butterball and fiesta potatoes, and purple and orange carrots. Steve Edwards, Anchorage Daily News, 4 Apr. 2018 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'butterball.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1813, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of butterball was in 1813

Dictionary Entries Near butterball

Cite this Entry

“Butterball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/butterball. Accessed 30 May. 2023.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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