noun
fat
FAT
noun
1
A soft, greasy substance stored in the body (or found in food) that provides energy.
"Trim the fat off the steak before you cook it."
"Regular exercise helps the body burn fat."
2
The most valuable or wasteful part of something, as in "trim the fat" from a budget.
"The new manager cut the fat from the department's spending."
adj
1
Having a large amount of body fat; overweight.
"The vet said the cat had become quite fat over the winter."
How to Use Fat
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither the greasy substance in food and bodies, or (as an adjective) carrying a lot of body weight.
Common mistake
Calling a person "fat" is usually considered blunt or rude in everyday speech; "overweight" or "heavy-set" are gentler alternatives.
Common pairings
trim the fat
fat content
saturated fat
Word Forms
fatted past tense, fats plural, fats plural, fats plural, fats singular
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Etymology
From Old English fǣtt, related to Proto-Germanic words for "fattened" or "stuffed".