fatty

¹ American  

[fat-ee] / ˈfæt i /

adjective

fattier, fattiest

1. consisting of, containing, or resembling fat.

   fatty tissue.

2. Pathology. characterized by overproduction or excessive accumulation of fat.

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fatty ² American  

[fat-ee] / ˈfæt i /

noun

Informal.

plural

fatties

1. Disparaging and Offensive. a person who is overweight or obese (sometimes used as a term of address).

2. a large marijuana cigarette, often shared and consumed by a group, with a shape and size similar to a cigar.

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fatty British  

/ ˈfætɪ /

adjective

1. containing, consisting of, or derived from fat

2. having the properties of fat; greasy; oily

3. (esp of tissues, organs, etc) characterized by the excessive accumulation of fat

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noun

1. informal a fat person

Other Word Forms

• fattily
  adverb
• fattiness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of fatty¹

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at fat, -y ¹

Origin of fatty²

First recorded in 1790–1800 fatty ² ( def. 1 ); 2003 fatty ² ( def. 2 ); see origin at fat, -y ²

Example Sentences

HSL plays a central role in this process by breaking down triglycerides into fatty acids that other organs can use for fuel.

From Science Daily • May 8, 2026

"We knew that micropollutants can be incorporated into fatty molecules in the body, but we didn't know how this occurs or what happens next," Clardy said.

From Science Daily • Apr. 25, 2026

That fatty molecule belongs to a group called cardiolipins, which are known to stimulate cytokine release.

From Science Daily • Apr. 25, 2026

So far, the research has focused on hPIV-3, which is an enveloped virus with a fatty outer membrane.

From Science Daily • Apr. 22, 2026

Throughout adolescence, the brain is busily lining important neural pathways with a fatty sheath called myelin.

From "The 57 Bus" by Dashka Slater

Related Words

• greasy
• oily