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

Education — a predictor of health risk factors including smoking, obesity, cardiovascular risk, and preventive screening rates — has become increasingly aligned with political geography. — Brandon Yan, STAT, 3 Nov. 2026

Researchers from McGill University in Canada and the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom enrolled 96 adults between the ages of 18 and 45 who were living with obesity and early-onset type 2 diabetes. — Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 2 Nov. 2026

The majority of the people who died in Cook County had underlying health issues that were complicated by the extreme heat, according to the medical examiner’s office, including cardiovascular disease, hypertension and obesity. — Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 1 Nov. 2026

Those who slept with a television or a light on in the room were 17 percent more likely to gain 11 pounds or more and 33 percent more likely to develop obesity over that time, after researchers accounted for diet, exercise and sleep duration. — Randy J. Nelson, Scientific American, 30 Oct. 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