rotund

adjective

ro·​tund rō-ˈtənd 

ˈrō-ˌtənd

1

: marked by roundness : rounded

2

: marked by fullness of sound or cadence : orotund, sonorous

a master of rotund diction

3

: notably plump : chubby

rotundity

rō-ˈtən-də-tē 

noun

rotundly

rō-ˈtənd-lē 

ˈrō-ˌtənd-

adverb

rotundness

rō-ˈtən(d)-nəs 

ˈrō-ˌtənd-

noun

Synonyms of rotund

• plump
• fat
• round

Examples of rotund in a Sentence

a rotund little man who, predictably, was asked to play Santa every year

the actor's distinct baritone and his clear and rotund elocution are especially effective in dramatic readings

Recent Examples on the Web

The comedy of Gilligan’s Island often centered on the interactions between the scrawny, clueless Gilligan and the rotund, impatient skipper. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 Aug. 2026

Natalia, again fearing a trap, hesitated to disembark—until the dawn light revealed the smiling face of the rotund Diego Rivera, flanked by Mexican Trotskyists and government officials. — Literary Hub, 28 July 2026

The doc noted that Winne The Pooh is banned in China after its president was once compared to the rotund bear of the classic children’s story. — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 6 June 2026

Briefly appearing in a TikTok video about the new MacBook Neo, a brand-new, rotund character based on Apple's iconic Finder application, the file manager on Apple computers, is taking the internet by storm. — Greta Cross, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin rotundus, probably alteration of Old Latin *retundus; akin to Latin rota wheel — more at roll

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for rotund

• fecund
• refund
• secund
• and
• bund
• fund
• gunned
• hund
• mund
• shunned
• stunned

Kids Definition

rotund

adjective

ro·​tund rō-ˈtənd 

ˈrō-ˌtənd

1

: somewhat round

2

: plump entry 5

rotundity

rō-ˈtən-dət-ē 

noun