corpulent

adjective

cor·​pu·​lent ˈkȯr-pyə-lənt 

: having a large bulky body : obese

… were a bit corpulent from too many years of privileged living …

—Thomas Cutler

corpulently adverb

Did you know?

The Duchess of Windsor may have said that you can never be too rich or too thin, but that's a rather modern point of view. In earlier times in Europe, being overweight was considered a sign of wealth and well-being, as demonstrated by the corpulence of many European kings. Still today, corpulence is thought to be superior to thinness in some of the world's cultures. But corpulent and corpulence are less often used than they once were, and we're now probably more likely to say "obese" and "obesity".

Synonyms of corpulent

• plump
• fat
• round

Examples of corpulent in a Sentence

a corpulent, elegantly dressed opera singer came out and sang, and we knew it was over

Recent Examples on the Web

The idea of these new mannequins, which will accompany the more traditional ones, is to stress that in the history of art, certain body types have been ignored or excluded — the corpulent body, the disabled body or the aging body, for example. —CBS News, 21 Apr. 2026

The idea of these new mannequins, which will accompany the more traditional ones, is to stress that in the history of art, certain body types have been ignored or excluded — the corpulent body, the disabled body or the aging body, for example. —ABC News, 20 Apr. 2026

President Donald Trump has made strides in paring back the corpulent administrative state, but a new analysis highlights significant work remains. —Editorial, Boston Herald, 18 Apr. 2026

Snug bucket seats challenge corpulent occupants, but look fantastic, as does the expanse of quilted leather that covers the parcel shelf behind the driver and passenger. —Robert Ross, Robb Report, 16 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French, borrowed from Latin corpulentus, from corpus "body" + -ulentus "having in quantity, full of" — more at midriff

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

corpulent

adjective

cor·​pu·​lent ˈkȯr-pyə-lənt 

: very fat : obese

Medical Definition

corpulent

adjective

cor·​pu·​lent -lənt 

: having a large bulky body : obese

corpulently adverb