chubby

American  

[chuhb-ee] / ˈtʃʌb i /

adjective

chubbier, chubbiest

1. round and plump.

   a chubby child; a chubby face.

   Synonyms:

   roly-poly, fleshy, heavy, pudgy

   Antonyms:

   skinny, thin, svelte, lean

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chubby British  

/ ˈtʃʌbɪ /

adjective

1. (esp of the human form) plump and round

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Other Word Forms

• chubbily adverb
• chubbiness noun

Etymology

Origin of chubby

First recorded in 1605–15; chub + -y ¹

Explanation

Someone who's chubby is plump or slightly overweight. If the vet mentions that your cat's getting a little chubby, you might need to cut down on the cat treats. Many toddlers and young children have round, chubby cheeks, puppies have chubby little bellies, and Santa Claus is perhaps the most famously chubby mythical figure. The word chubby dates from the early 17th century, when it literally meant "looks like a chub," a somewhat round-shaped river fish. There may also be a connection to the Old Norse kumben, "stumpy."

Example Sentences

In early scenes, he has a small curved line denoting a chubby chin, which changes over time to straight lines on each cheek, narrowing his face when he is old and infirm.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 16, 2026

Then my mom, who had managed to leave the room sneakily as we tore through the wrapping, came back into the living room with a chubby cat with a bow around his neck.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 23, 2025

I envisioned a chubby, beautiful woman struggling with the beauty ideal.

From Salon • Apr. 18, 2025

He was the chubby kid at Sedbergh, told he would not make a county cricketer because he was not fit enough in the field.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2025

Mr. Hodge had called out Sarah Puchini’s name—the blond girl was standing over by Anthony Solbers, a chubby boy with pimples.

From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Related Words

• chunky
• flabby
• plump
• portly
• pudgy
• stout