rotund

adjective

ro·​tund rō-ˈtənd How to pronounce rotund (audio)
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 noun
rotundly
rō-ˈtənd-lē How to pronounce rotund (audio)
ˈrō-ˌtənd-
adverb
rotundness
rō-ˈtən(d)-nəs How to pronounce rotund (audio)
ˈrō-ˌtənd-
noun

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 toy, named Psyduck—intended for humans—is a rotund duck-like creature prone to splitting headaches. Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 9 Feb. 2023 Meet the rotund rascal Sir John Falstaff and the wise wives of Windsor in one of Shakespeare’s most raucous comedies. Joey Morona, cleveland, 1 Feb. 2023 Stay rotund for my sake #bblefffect #buccalfatremoval #friendship ... Kalhan Rosenblatt, NBC News, 20 Dec. 2022 Shor wears oval glasses, his belly is rotund, his hair is woolly and white, and his beard is unkempt. Stephen Witt, The New Yorker, 12 Dec. 2022 See all Example Sentences for rotund 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rotund.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of rotund was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near rotund

Cite this Entry

“Rotund.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rotund. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

rotund

adjective
ro·​tund rō-ˈtənd How to pronounce rotund (audio)
ˈrō-ˌtənd
1
: somewhat round
2
rotundity noun

More from Merriam-Webster on rotund

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