obesity
Americannoun
-
obesities
plural
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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. )
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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.
See Examples For:
She points to evidence showing that the more people eat, external within two hours of going to bed, the "greater the odds" of weight gain and obesity.
From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026
The sugary versions of the drinks can also contribute to obesity and damaged teeth, according to the Association of UK Dieticians.
From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026
Preserving muscle is an important goal in obesity treatment because muscle tissue supports strength, mobility, and metabolic health.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 4, 2026
Novo Nordisk raised its annual guidance due to an improved outlook for its key obesity and diabetes drugs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2026
And we’d enlisted mayors from five hundred cities and towns across the country to commit to tackling childhood obesity on the local level.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
It does not require a Paxton to know that a hole in the stage two feet square, will not hold Barnum's obesities.
From Physiology of The Opera by John H. Swaby
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
