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big-boned

American  
[big-bohnd] / ˈbɪgˈboʊnd /

adjective

  1. having a bone structure that is massive in contrast with the surrounding flesh.


Etymology

Origin of big-boned

First recorded in 1600–10

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.

See Examples For:

As the American painter recalled years later, Borger in the 1920s was a settlement of “rough shacks, oil rigs, pungent stinks from gas pockets, and broad-faced, big-boned Texas oil speculators.”

From The Wall Street Journal Apr. 24, 2026

Jean-Yves Thibaudet was the right guest in every way for the big-boned performance at the Huntington.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 12, 2025

These big-boned people pursued a semi-nomadic life on the steppes, tamed animals, kept domestic cattle and moved over large areas using horses and carts.

From Science Daily Feb. 8, 2024

Buttercup is a big-boned gal — body positive! — just trying to live in her truth.

From New York Times Sep. 21, 2021

When people first saw me, they thought 1 looked like my father, English-Irish, big-boned and delicate at the same time.

From "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan

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