zaftig

adjective

zaf·​tig ˈzäf-tig How to pronounce zaftig (audio) ˈzȯf- How to pronounce zaftig (audio)
variants or less commonly zoftig
of a woman
: having a full rounded figure : pleasingly plump

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Zaftig Has Yiddish Origins

Zaftig is one of a number of Yiddish-derived words that entered the English language during the mid-1800s to the early 1900s. It comes from Yiddish zaftik, which means "juicy" or "succulent" and itself derives from zaft, meaning "juice" or "sap."

Examples of zaftig in a Sentence

The actress playing the lead role was a zaftig blonde.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Need a zaftig character actor with a sweet smile and a can-do attitude? Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 14 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Yiddish zaftik juicy, succulent, from zaft juice, sap, from Middle High German saf, saft, from Old High German saf — more at sap

First Known Use

1926, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of zaftig was in 1926

Dictionary Entries Near zaftig

Cite this Entry

“Zaftig.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zaftig. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

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