Definition of FAT (original) (raw)

1

: notable for having an unusual amount of fat:

b

: having excessive body fat

… a woman of medium height, a little plump but not fat …—Mary McCarthy

c

of a meat animal : fattened for market

2

b

: full in tone and quality : rich

… a gorgeous fat bass voice …—Irish Digest

e

: being substantial and impressive

3

a

: richly rewarding or profitable

b

: practically nonexistent

5

informal : stupid, foolish

"… if he had had any sense in his fat head, he would have done it long ago, dash him!"—P. G. Wodehouse

6

: being swollen

got a fat lip from the fight

7

of a baseball pitch : easy to hit

Examples of fat in a Sentence

Adjective

The dog is getting fat because you feed him too much. I can't believe I've let myself get so fat. a fat book of poems a truck with fat tires Noun

people with excess body fat a diet and exercise program to help you gain muscle and lose fat Nuts contain a lot of fat. Trim the fat from the meat before you cook it. a diet low in fats fats like butter and olive oil trim the fat off the budget

Recent Examples on the Web

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.

Figueira starts by grilling the beef over charcoal and wood until the fat cap renders into something approaching gold. —Heide Brandes, Bon Appetit Magazine, 13 May 2026 Over one-third of Americans are thought to have troubling levels of fat accumulation in their livers, what’s known broadly as steatotic liver disease. —Isabella Cueto, STAT, 13 May 2026

Overnight oats made with almond butter and chia seeds, for example, deliver a balanced mix of carbs, protein, and healthy fats. —Brianna Tobritzhofer, Health, 12 May 2026 Cook, stirring often, until the tomato paste turns the fat red, 2 to 3 minutes. —Karla Walsh, CNN Money, 12 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for fat

Word History

Etymology

Adjective, Verb, and Noun

Middle English, from Old English fǣtt, past participle of fǣtan to cram; akin to Old High German feizit fat

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of fat was before the 12th century