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Definition of obese

obese

/oʊˈbiːs/
o · bese
Adverb:obesely
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obese Lexical Profile

obese Game Scores & Validity

• adjective

1

Having an excessive accumulation of body fat to an extent that poses a risk to health, clinically defined in adults as having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher.

Example

"Public health initiatives aim to reduce the number of clinically obese children through better nutrition and daily exercise."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for obese
Antonyms
View all antonyms for obese

Word Nuance & Usage

'Obese' is primarily a clinical and medical term defined by specific body mass index (BMI) thresholds, whereas 'overweight' denotes a lower degree of excess weight and is less severe in everyday usage.

• Rhymes for obese

• Nearby Words

obedient plant
obediently
obelisk
obese
obesity
obey
obfuscate

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed in the mid-17th century from Latin obesus, meaning 'having eaten until fat,' the past participle of obedere ('to eat away' or 'devour'), formed from ob- ('completely') and edere ('to eat').

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Obese. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/obese
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