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

Giants bench coach Kai Correa and Cardinals first base coach Stubby Clapp met at home plate to exchange lineups prior to first pitch but stood there talking while waiting for the umpires.

From Seattle Times • May 8, 2022

Stubby Bullhead sharks, reaching just five feet in length, live on the shallow seafloor of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, according to the Smithsonian Institution's Ocean Initiative.

From Fox News • Aug. 26, 2021

Stubby computers in zippered lunch coolers help find fish.

From New York Times • Mar. 4, 2020

The idea to use off-center singer-songwriter Jonathan Richman as the film’s Greek chorus came from the 1965 western comedy “Cat Ballou,” which featured Stubby Kaye and Nat King Cole as troubadours.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 16, 2018

Stubby tree branches, splintery scrap boards, even pieces of wadded-up paper that look like garbage.

From "Girl in the Blue Coat" by Monica Hesse