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

According to the administration, several popular medications — including the blockbuster obesity drugs Zepbound and Wegovy — are being offered at a discount. —Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 6 Feb. 2026

Cagrilintide might also ease some of GLP-1 drugs’ common gastrointestinal side effects, such as severe nausea and vomiting, says Jesse Richards, an internal medicine and obesity clinician at the University of Oklahoma School of Community Medicine. —Bethany Brookshire, Scientific American, 6 Feb. 2026

Some current obesity drugs have the side effect of losing muscle mass in addition to fat. —Chris Hoffman, CBS News, 6 Feb. 2026

The drugmaker is laser-focused on bringing to market treatments from its $10 billion acquisition of the obesity biotech Metsera. —Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 6 Feb. 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