fatberg

American  

[fat-burg] / ˈfæt bɜrg /

noun

1. a solid lump in a sewer system consisting of waste that does not break down, as congealed cooking fat, cleansing wipes, and cotton balls.

   Cities must deal with the growing problem of large and small fatbergs that cause sewage backups and street flooding.

---

Etymology

Origin of fatberg

First recorded in 2000–05; fat ( def. ) (in the sense “greasy substance”) + (ice)berg ( def. )

Example Sentences

"So they stay in one piece, and they gather together with fat, oil, and grease from kitchens, congeal and create a fatberg which causes flooding."

From BBC • Nov. 17, 2025

Q. How did Swedish plumbers respond to news of Stockholm’s fatberg?

From Washington Post • May 20, 2021

The fatberg was discovered when sewer flows in the area were noticed to be moving slower than normal, she said.

From BBC • May 2, 2021

The thought of the accumulated mass I’d consumed and discarded over the years was repellent, like my own personal version of London’s infamous fatberg.

From New York Times • Jan. 20, 2020

Combined with fat and grease that has been tipped down sinks, it is already starting to build up into a fatberg.

From The Guardian • Dec. 20, 2019