potbelly

American  

[pot-bel-ee] / ˈpɒtˌbɛl i /

noun

potbellies plural

1. a distended or protuberant belly.

2. potbelly stove.

3. potbelly wood.

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potbelly British  

/ ˈpɒtˌbɛlɪ /

noun

1. a protruding or distended belly

2. a person having such a belly

3. a small bulbous stove in which wood or coal is burned

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• potbellied
  adjective

Inflected Forms

noun

• potbellies
  plural

Etymology

Origin of potbelly

First recorded in 1705–15; pot ¹ + belly

Example Sentences

Talia Greis, from Australia, won Macro, with an abstract portrait of a potbelly seahorse in the murky waters near Bare Island, Sydney.

From BBC • Feb. 19, 2024

While the Kumasaka family was incarcerated in Minidoka, a fire caused by an overheated potbelly stove burned down the Green Lake Community Center and vandals extensively damaged the farm’s greenhouses.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 7, 2023

It's hard not to mistake Sanders for Father Christmas, especially with his white facial hair, potbelly and festive get-up.

From Salon • Dec. 24, 2022

It was raining and 44 degrees by the time everyone arrived, so the group retreated inside the cabin and huddled around its potbelly stove.

From New York Times • Oct. 15, 2021

He still wore faded old blue jeans, but instead of his worn T-shirt, he wore a baggy sweater that covered up most of his potbelly.

From "Touching Spirit Bear" by Ben Mikaelsen