protuberant
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of protuberant
1640–50; < Late Latin prōtūberant- (stem of prōtūberāns ), present participle of prōtūberāre to swell. See pro- 1, tuber 1, -ant
Explanation
If something is protuberant, it juts or bulges out, like Santa Claus's famously protuberant belly. You might find your small dog adorable, with her flat nose and protuberant eyes, while your brother prefers the family cat. Something that's protuberant can also be called a protuberance, and we can trace both words back to the Late Latin protuberare, "to swell or bulge," from the roots pro, "forward," and tuber, "lump or swelling."
Vocabulary lists containing protuberant
Dracula
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Interpreter of Maladies
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
A Bend in the River
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The bumps push out candy-striped and aproned gowns; they are exaggerated by belted waists, and one particularly protuberant tummy doubles as a perch for a parakeet.
From Slate ● Jul. 21, 2025
They’re absolute eye candy, the kind of bud that does it for the ’Gram — great pops of frilly color, their protuberant, pollen-gilded anthers sticking out like … well, exactly what they are.
From Washington Post ● Feb. 3, 2022
His face was swollen, his skin bluish-black and his eyes protuberant, suggesting great pressure on his brain, Dr. McClelland told the Warren Commission in 1964 during its investigation of the assassination.
From New York Times ● Sep. 24, 2019
He has a long face and long, wavy brown hair parted at the crest; his chin is protuberant and cratered by a dimple the size of Chicxulub.
From The New Yorker ● Apr. 15, 2019
Luna turned her protuberant eyes upon him in surprise.
From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
