jowly

American  

[jau-lee, joh-] / ˈdʒaʊ li, ˈdʒoʊ- /

adjective

jowlier, jowliest

1. having prominent jowls.

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Etymology

Origin of jowly

First recorded in 1870–75; jowl ¹ + -y ¹

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Explanation

If someone has a double chin and extra flesh around their neck and jaw, you can describe them as jowly. Santa Claus is an example of a jowly gentleman. A heavy, older face is sometimes a bit jowly, with flesh that is settled and drooping around the jaw line and chin. It's not complimentary to describe someone as jowly, but it can be accurate. This adjective comes from jowl, "fold of flesh under the jawbone," from the Middle English cholle, "flesh hanging from the neck or chin," which shares a root with the Old English word for "chin."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

jowly jowlier

But most of these intellectual flights are cleverly couched in the jowly mundanities of bulldog existence.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026

The mug shot shows the suspect’s head lowered as if to obscure a jowly double-chin, eyes narrowed into a glare, lips firmly pursed and yellow pompadour swirled into a cotton-candy crown.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 29, 2023

The breed, also known as the English or British bulldog, earned comparisons with Winston Churchill for its jowly face, and was historically seen as a symbol of courage and endurance.

From BBC ● Jun. 14, 2022

To turn Penn into a hefty, jowly John Mitchell, the actor recruited Kazu Hiro, a makeup and prosthetics artist who transformed Gary Oldman into Winston Churchill for “Darkest Hour.”

From New York Times ● Apr. 22, 2022

In the room there was another deputy—a broad, jowly bear standing next to the door that led to the jail cells.

From "Flush" by Carl Hiaasen

Payne is a tall, lean, all-American man: a jowlier Tom Brokaw in a red, white and blue tie.

From Time Magazine Archive

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