chubby
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of chubby
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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
I was a bit chubby as a child, but I quickly became a sporty, suburban kid.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 18, 2025
In March, it blocked so-called "chubby filters" - a viral tool which made people appear overweight.
From BBC • Jun. 4, 2025
I envisioned a chubby, beautiful woman struggling with the beauty ideal.
From Salon • Apr. 18, 2025
The boy, slightly chubby, healthy-looking, also ran toward the American doctor, though with an odd, waddle-like gait.
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
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.
