stubby

American  

[stuhb-ee] / ˈstʌb i /

adjective

stubbier, stubbiest

1. of the nature of or resembling a stub.

2. short and thick or broad; thick-set or squat.

   stubby fingers.

3. consisting of or abounding in stubs.

4. bristly, as the hair or beard.

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stubby British  

/ ˈstʌbɪ /

adjective

1. short and broad; stumpy or thickset

2. bristling and stiff

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noun

1. Also called: stubbie.  slang a small bottle of beer

Other Word Forms

• stubbily adverb
• stubbiness noun

Etymology

Origin of stubby

First recorded in 1565–75; stub ¹ + -y ¹

Explanation

Stubby things are thick and short, like your sister's stubby little toes or the stubby remains of your favorite pencil that's been sharpened until it's barely long enough to hold. For some reason, this adjective is most commonly used to describe people's fingers and toes: "I always wanted to be a concert pianist like my brother, but my fingers were just too stubby." But you can use it for anything short and blunt, like the stubby baby carrots your mom packs in your lunch or the stubby, useless arms of an upright dinosaur like Tyrannosaurus rex.

Example Sentences

These thrust differentials are coordinated with dual flaps on the trailing edges of the stubby wings.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 17, 2025

You don't get a tick in the box if the name on the ballot paper means nothing to the voter clutching their stubby pencil in the voting booth.

From BBC • Sep. 20, 2025

He skins Walking Mushrooms with care, tosses their stubby feet into a hot pot with an eye for balance and umami.

From Salon • May 12, 2025

A stubby flutter of greenery at a gas station, and a lofty palm behind an IHOP.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 20, 2025

Their bodies were sleek and black like sea mammals, with stubby legs that were half flipper, half foot, and humanlike hands with sharp claws.

From "The Battle of the Labyrinth" by Rick Riordan