obesity
Americannoun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of obesity
First recorded in 1605–15; from Middle French obésité, from Latin obēsitāt-, stem of obēsitās, equivalent to obēs(us) obese ( def. ) + -i- ( def. ) + -tās -ty 2 ( def. )
Compare meaning
How does obesity compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Obesity is the condition of being more overweight than is considered average or healthy. The noun obesity was first used around 1610 and has origins in the Latin word obesitas, meaning "fatness" or "corpulence." During the Middle Ages, obesity was a sign of wealth and prosperity indicating that you had enough money to buy and eat all the food you wanted while others starved. Nowadays, research has shown that having too much fat can cause a number of related health problems. A healthy diet and fitness regime is a great way for someone to shed excess pounds and avoid obesity.
Vocabulary lists containing obesity
"A Rose for Emily"
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List 2
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Nutrition - Introductory
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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.
The analysis focused on several GLP-1 medications, including injectable Ozempic for type 2 diabetes, injectable Wegovy for obesity treatment, and the oral semaglutide tablet Rybelsus.
From Science Daily • May 23, 2026
The area has one of North Carolina’s highest rates of diabetes and obesity, said Kirk deViere, chairman of the county’s Board of Commissioners.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 23, 2026
The European Medicines Agency recommended the approval of Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy weight-loss pill Friday, paving the way for it to become the first tablet to treat obesity in the bloc.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026
The findings suggest this could raise the risk of obesity later in life.
From Science Daily • May 21, 2026
Over the previous three decades, rates of childhood obesity had tripled.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
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.
