Word
chubby
Phoneticschub·by, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈtʃəbi/
UK/tʃˈʌbi/
Definition
adj. slightly fat in a way that looks healthy or cute, especially used for children or faces.
adj. describing a person who is somewhat overweight but in a rounded, soft, or aesthetically pleasing way.
Examples
“The baby has chubby cheeks.”
“My grandfather was always a bit chubby, but he stayed active and healthy.”
“The artist preferred painting chubby, rosy-cheeked children because their soft features conveyed a sense of innocence and warmth.”
Examples
simple
“The baby has chubby cheeks.”
contextual
“My grandfather was always a bit chubby, but he stayed active and healthy.”
complex
“The artist preferred painting chubby, rosy-cheeked children because their soft features conveyed a sense of innocence and warmth.”
Etymology
Recorded since 1611, from chub (“short, thick fish species used as bait"; used metaphorically since 1558 for "lazy person”), an assibilated form of cub (“a lump, heap, mass”) and cob, from Middle English *cubbe (found only in derivative cubbel (“a block to which an animal is tethered”)), from Old Norse kubbr, kumbr (“block, stump, log”) and/or Old Norse kumben (“stumpy”), equivalent to chub + -y. Cognate with dialectal Swedish kubbug (“fat, plump, chubby”). More at chub.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- A2 · Elementary
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/chubby