Word
tubby
Phoneticstub·by, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈtəbi/
UK/tˈʌbi/
Definition
adj. short and a little fat, with a round body shape. You use it for people or animals, often in a teasing way.
adj. short and stout in build, with a rounded, somewhat fat body. Describes people and small animals, often with a mildly teasing or disparaging tone.
Examples
“The tubby cat sleeps on the warm sofa.”
“The tubby puppy waddles across the park and begs every owner for treats.”
“The tubby old sailor squeezes into his favourite chair each evening, filling the small cabin with stories of distant ports.”
Examples
simple
“The tubby cat sleeps on the warm sofa.”
contextual
“The tubby puppy waddles across the park and begs every owner for treats.”
complex
“The tubby old sailor squeezes into his favourite chair each evening, filling the small cabin with stories of distant ports.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “tubby” in context.
Verb
01. become tubby
“Indoor cats often become tubby without enough exercise.”
verb + adj
02. get tubby
“He started to get tubby after he quit football.”
verb + adj
03. grow tubby
“The pony grew tubby on rich spring grass.”
verb + adj
04. look tubby
“In that thick sweater you look a bit tubby, love.”
verb + adj
Adjective
05. pleasantly tubby
“Her grandfather was a pleasantly tubby man with a loud laugh.”
adv + adj
06. quite tubby
“He was quite tubby as a child, always first in line for cake.”
adv + adj
07. rather tubby
“The rather tubby puppy waddled happily across the park.”
adv + adj
08. a round tubby belly
“Santa patted his round tubby belly and laughed loudly.”
09. a short tubby man
“A short tubby man waved at us from the bakery door.”
10. a tubby little boy
“A tubby little boy in shorts was eating a huge ice cream.”
11. a tubby tabby cat
“A tubby tabby cat dozed on the warm windowsill.”
12. getting a bit tubby
“I think I'm getting a bit tubby; my jeans feel tight.”
Etymology
From tub + -y. False cognate with chubby, even though they are often interchangeable.
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.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL 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: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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