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

Roche stopped work on one of its obesity drug candidates, after clinical-trial data suggested the medicine did not hit internal targets, The Wall Street Journal tells us. — Ed Silverman, STAT, 29 Sep. 2026

The trial, called TRIUMPH-2, took place over the course of 80 weeks and included 1,152 people with obesity and type 2 diabetes. — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 29 Sep. 2026

Mid-stage results for eloraTZP , a combination therapy of eloralintide and tirzepatide, in adults with obesity and type 2 diabetes. — Zev Fima,kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 27 Sep. 2026

Honyotski, 71, lives with several chronic conditions, including diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure. — Priyanka D McCluskey, NPR, 26 Sep. 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