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
Cast member Luke Manley, who compares himself to a ham sandwich, said, “I know I’m a chubby guy with glasses but I didn’t know I had a look.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 26, 2025
I envisioned a chubby, beautiful woman struggling with the beauty ideal.
From Salon • Apr. 18, 2025
They are often designed by individuals with no link to TikTok - as appears to be the case with the new "chubby filter".
From BBC • Mar. 20, 2025
Sahar, one of the younger cousins, leaned forward and puffed out her chubby cheeks.
From "Shooting Kabul" by N. H. Senzai
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.
