tubby

[tuhb-ee]

See more synonyms for tubby on Thesaurus.com

adjective, tub·bi·er, tub·bi·est.

short and fat: a tubby child.
having a dull, thumping sound; lacking resonance.

Origin of tubby

First recorded in 1800–10; tub + -y¹

Related formstub·bi·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for tubby

beefy, big, brawny, broad, bulging, bulky, burly, chubby, chunky, dumpy, elephantine, fleshy, gargantuan, gross, heavy, hefty, husky, large, obese, overweight

Examples from the Web for tubby

Contemporary Examples of tubby

Remember the first Walkman, introduced in 1979, with its tubby buttons and workmanlike profile.
Space Shuttle Enterprise: Flashback to an Icon of ‘70s Design
Blake Gopnik
July 18, 2012

Historical Examples of tubby

He was getting on his feet again as Tubby made that last remark.
The Boy Scouts on Belgian Battlefields
Lieut. Howard Payson
"Just as you do, Tubby," responded the scout leader heartily.
The Boy Scouts on Belgian Battlefields
Lieut. Howard Payson
"Just like all the rest, he takes us for Johnny Bulls," complained Tubby.
The Boy Scouts on Belgian Battlefields
Lieut. Howard Payson
At the same time Tubby was listening eagerly for good tidings.
The Boy Scouts on Belgian Battlefields
Lieut. Howard Payson
"Yes, I guess it will," echoed Tubby, in a way that was hardly cheerful.
The Boy Scouts on Belgian Battlefields
Lieut. Howard Payson

British Dictionary definitions for tubby

tubby

adjective -bier or -biest

plump
shaped like a tub
rare having little resonance

Derived Formstubbiness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for tubby

adj.

"shaped like a tub, corpulent," 1835, from tub + -y (2). The noun meaning "a fat person" is attested from 1891.