portly
Americanadjective
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rather heavy or fat; stout; corpulent.
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Archaic. stately, dignified, or imposing.
adjective
-
stout or corpulent
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archaic stately; impressive
Other Word Forms
- portliness noun
- unportly adjective
Etymology
Origin of portly
Explanation
If your uncle has a rounder body shape, he might call himself a portly gentleman. Synonyms of portly include stout and heavy. Some opera singers are portly, but all that girth makes it easier for them to produce a robust sound. Although portly is similar to chubby, it’s a little more dignified. In fact, the word was formerly used to mean “dignified,” and it still keeps a dose of dignity. Alfred Hitchcock and Winston Churchill were portly.
Vocabulary lists containing portly
"Seventh Grade" by Gary Soto
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A Christmas Carol
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Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
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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.
But instead of portly people enjoying futuristic entertainment, we will all be skinnier thanks to today’s GLP-1 medications.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 2026
Flanked by a portly President Trump, he proclaimed, “It’s a bad look. It is bad, and it’s not who we are.”
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 1, 2025
"Cyril", as he is known to some, is said to be a portly man with a very gruff voice.
From BBC • Dec. 25, 2024
As I grew up, a frequent refrain from friends and family members—in particular my zaftig aunts and portly uncles—was to opine about how they wished they were slim like me.
From Slate • Oct. 4, 2023
He was portly, with twinkling eyes that moved quickly from one thing to another.
From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
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.
