Word of the Day - 08/06/26
corpulence
/'kɔrpjələns/(n.): the property of excessive fatness
His corpulence made it difficult for him to move around with ease.
Word Origin
The word 'corpulence' originates from Late Latin 'corpulentia', meaning 'fleshiness' or 'stoutness'. This in turn comes from Latin 'corpulentus' ('fleshy', 'fat'), which is derived from 'corpus' (body) + the suffix '-ulentus' (full of, abounding in). The '-ence' at the end is a noun-forming suffix from Latin '-entia'. Therefore, 'corpulence' can be broken down as 'corp' (body) + 'ulent' (full of) + 'ce' (noun suffix).
Words with similar origins include 'corpus' (a collection of written texts, from Latin for 'body'), 'corpulent' (the adjective form, meaning 'fat'), 'corporation' (a legal entity treated as a single 'body'), 'incorporate' (to form into a body or to include), and 'corporeal' (relating to a person's body).