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

• 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

When Wilson was regressing into drugs and obesity, Landy was rehired six years later, the outlet shared. —Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 17 Aug. 2025

Longer survival might be due to having extra energy reserves, differences in tumor biology or treatment tolerance, or measurement issues, such as BMI vs body composition, so it shouldn't be interpreted as evidence of obesity being beneficial. —New Atlas, 15 Aug. 2025

This is the conclusion of a study by researchers at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, who found that obesity can trigger metabolic shifts that cause lasting epigenetic changes in a mother's eggs. —Hannah Millington, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Aug. 2025

Some experts believe that UPFs lead individuals to consume more calories throughout the day, which can of course lead to obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease over time. —Omer Awan, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2025

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