obesity

noun

obe·​si·​ty ō-ˈbē-sə-tē How to pronounce obesity (audio)
Synonyms of obesitynext
: a condition characterized by the excessive accumulation and storage of fat in the body
Obesity affects not just appearance, but disease processes as well.—Malorye Allison

Synonyms of obesity

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Examples of obesity in a Sentence

obesity has been linked to a number of health risks, such as heart disease
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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Lilly made another acquisition yesterday, putting its obesity windfall to work. — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026 Before GLP-1s won over insurers and consumers alike, a whole generation of obesity drugs failed to reach blockbuster status; some instead went to bankruptcy court. — Avalon Pernell, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026 More affordably, starting last month, eligible Medicare beneficiaries were able to receive GLP-1s for obesity for $50 per month by prescription. — Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 29 Aug. 2026 Studies have also linked phthalates to asthma, childhood obesity, and cancer in animal studies. — Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for obesity

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French obesité, borrowed from Latin obēsitāt-, obēsitās, from obēsus "fat, stout" + -itāt-, -itās -ity — more at obese

First Known Use

circa 1611, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of obesity was circa 1611

Phrases Containing obesity

Browse Nearby Words

obese
obesity
obesogenic
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Cite this Entry

“Obesity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/obesity. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Medical Definition

obesity

noun
obe·​si·​ty ō-ˈbē-sət-ē How to pronounce obesity (audio)
plural obesities
: a condition that is characterized by excessive accumulation and storage of fat in the body and that in an adult is typically indicated by a body mass index of 30 or greater

More from Merriam-Webster on obesity

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about obesity

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