adjective
obese
oh-BEES
adjective
1
Very overweight, to a degree that is unhealthy.
"The doctor warned him that he was clinically obese and at risk of heart disease."
"Rates of obese children have risen sharply in the last decade."
How to Use Obese
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSeriously overweight, more than just "a bit heavy."
When to use it
A clinical/medical term rather than an everyday casual one — "overweight" or "heavy" sound less harsh in conversation.
Common pairings
clinically obese
obese patient
morbidly obese
Word Forms
more obese comparative, obeser comparative, obeses plural, most obese superlative, obesest superlative
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The doctor warned him that he was clinically _____ and at risk of heart disease.
Etymology
From Latin obesus, "having eaten one's way to fatness" — from ob- ("away") + edere ("to eat").