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.
Likewise, depression, obesity, Alzheimer’s, heart disease—all are wildly different diseases, yet all are influenced by diet. — Rowan Jacobsen, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026 The results suggest that women may experience slightly more weight loss on CagriSema than a broader population of both men and women with obesity saw in the Phase 3 trial. — Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2026 Currently, Wegovy, the brand name for semaglutide, is the only weekly GLP-1 medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat obesity in children over 12 years old. — ABC News, 20 Oct. 2026 The issue is personal after his sister, Amy, passed away three years ago, at the age of 48, for reasons related to obesity and diabetes. — Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 20 Oct. 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 21 Oct. 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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