stout

¹

[stout]

adjective

stouter, stoutest 

1. bulky in figure; heavily built; corpulent; thickset; fat.

   She is getting too stout for her dresses.

   Synonyms: fleshy, portly, stocky, rotund, big
   Antonyms: skinny, slim, slender, lean, thin, scrawny

2. bold, brave, or dauntless.

   a stout heart; stout fellows.

   Synonyms: courageous, indomitable, fearless, intrepid, gallant, valiant
   Antonyms: fearful, timid, cowardly, craven, timorous

3. firm; stubborn; resolute.

   stout resistance.

   Synonyms: stanch, steadfast, indomitable, obstinate

4. forceful; vigorous.

   a stout argument; a stout wind.

   Synonyms: violent, sharp, intense

5. strong of body; hearty; sturdy.

   stout seamen.

   Synonyms: robust, husky, strapping, sinewy, brawny

6. having endurance or staying power, as a horse.

   Synonyms: steady, stalwart

7. strong in substance or body, as a beverage.

   Antonyms: flat, bland, tasteless, weak

8. strong and thick or heavy.

   a stout cudgel.

noun

1. a dark, sweet brew made of roasted malt and having a higher percentage of hops than porter.

2. porter of extra strength.

3. a stout person.

4. a garment size designed for a stout man.

5. a garment, as a suit or overcoat, in this size.

Stout

²

[stout]

noun

1. Rex (Todhunter) 1886–1975, U.S. detective novelist.

2. Robert, 1844–1930, New Zealand jurist and statesman: prime minister 1884–87.

stout

¹

/ staʊt /

adjective

1. solidly built or corpulent

2. (prenominal) resolute or valiant

   stout fellow

3. strong, substantial, and robust

4. courage; resolution

noun

1. strong porter highly flavoured with malt

Stout

²

/ staʊt /

noun

1. Sir Robert. 1844–1930, New Zealand statesman, born in Scotland: prime minister of New Zealand (1884–87)

Other Word Forms

• stoutly adverb
• stoutness noun
• overstout adjective
• overstoutly adverb
• overstoutness noun
• unstout adjective
• unstoutly adverb
• unstoutness noun
• stoutish adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of stout¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English adjective stute, from Old French estout “bold, proud,” from Germanic; compare Middle Dutch stout “bold,” Middle Low German stolt, Middle High German stolz “proud”

Word History and Origins

Origin of stout¹

C14: from Old French estout bold, of Germanic origin; related to Middle High German stolz proud, Middle Dutch stolt brave

Synonym Study

Stout, fat, plump imply corpulence of body. Stout describes a heavily built but usually strong and healthy body: a handsome stout lady. Fat, an informal word with unpleasant connotations, suggests an unbecoming fleshy stoutness; it may, however, apply also to a hearty fun-loving type of stout person: a fat old man; fat and jolly. Plump connotes a pleasing roundness and is often used as a complimentary or euphemistic equivalent for stout, fleshy, etc.: a pleasingly plump figure attractively dressed.

Example Sentences

The Colts were tested by a stout Arizona Cardinals defense last week but still put up 31 points in a comeback victory, Jones saying it was the kind of challenge that only improves the team.

Read more on Barron's

More importantly, “Unabridged” is a stout defense of the craft of making dictionaries.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Short and stout, he was unprepossessing and—especially unfortunate for a connoisseur of visual art—would soon lose the use of one eye in a car accident.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“He’s strong and he’s stout, you can’t really move him. And you think like, ‘Oh, Poona is just a big run stopper or somebody that could just help with the run.’

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Now the Rams have added the stout Ford to shore up the run defense.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• hulking 
• indomitable 
• muscular 
• staunch 
• sturdy 
• tenacious 
• vigorous