Stocky vs. Fat — What's the Difference?

Muscular and well-proportioned.

Having an excess amount of body fat.

Sturdy, short, and broad in build.

Describing foods rich in fat content.

Implying a dense, powerful stature.

Informally referring to a large quantity of something.

Compact and strong in appearance.

Used to describe a person with a high BMI.

Often associated with athletic people.

Sometimes implying health concerns related to obesity.

Solidly built; sturdy.

In nutrition, biology, and chemistry, fat usually means any ester of fatty acids, or a mixture of such compounds, most commonly those that occur in living beings or in food.The term often refers specifically to triglycerides (triple esters of glycerol), that are the main components of vegetable oils and of fatty tissue in animals; or, even more narrowly, to triglycerides that are solid or semisolid at room temperature, thus excluding oils. The term may also be used more broadly as a synonym of lipid—any substance of biological relevance, composed of carbon, hydrogen, or oxygen, that is insoluble in water but soluble in non-polar solvents.

Chubby; plump.

A natural oily substance occurring in animal bodies, especially when deposited as a layer under the skin or around certain organs

(of a person or an animal) Sturdy; solidly built; heavy and compact.

Any of a group of natural esters of glycerol and various fatty acids, which are solid at room temperature and are the main constituents of animal and vegetable fat

Short and thick; thick rather than tall or corpulent.

(of a person or animal) having a large amount of excess flesh

Headstrong.

Large in bulk or circumference

Heavy and compact in form or stature;

Make or become fat

The ester of glycerol and one, two, or three fatty acids.

Any of various soft, solid, or semisolid organic compounds constituting the esters of glycerol and fatty acids and their associated organic groups.

A mixture of such compounds occurring widely in organic tissue, especially in the adipose tissue of animals and in the seeds, nuts, and fruits of plants.

Animal tissue containing such substances.

A solidified animal or vegetable oil.

Obesity; corpulence

Unnecessary excess

Having much or too much fat or flesh; plump or obese.

Full of fat or oil; greasy.

Abounding in desirable elements

Fertile or productive; rich

Having an abundance or amplitude; well-stocked

Yielding profit or plenty; lucrative or rewarding

Prosperous; wealthy

Thick; large

Puffed up; swollen

To make or become fat; fatten.

Carrying more fat than usual on one's body; plump; not lean or thin.

Thick; large.

Bulbous; rotund.

Bountiful.

Oily; greasy; unctuous; rich said of food.

(obsolete) Exhibiting the qualities of a fat animal; coarse; heavy; gross; dull; stupid.

Fertile; productive.

Rich; producing a large income; desirable.

Abounding in riches; affluent; fortunate.

Of a character which enables the compositor to make large wages; said of matter containing blank, cuts, or many leads, etc.

(golf) Being a shot in which the ground is struck before the ball.

(theatre) Of a role: significant; major; meaty.

Alternative form of phat

(uncountable) A specialized animal tissue with high lipid content, used for long-term storage of energy: fat tissue.

Such tissue as food: the fatty portion of (or trimmings from) meat cuts.

(countable) A lipid that is solid at room temperature, which fat tissue contains and which is also found in the blood circulation; sometimes, a refined substance chemically resembling such naturally occurring lipids.

That part of an organization deemed wasteful.

(slang) An erection.

(golf) A poorly played shot where the ball is struck by the top part of the club head. (see also thin, shank, toe)

The best or richest productions; the best part.

Work containing much blank, or its equivalent, and therefore profitable to the compositor.

A fat person.

A beef cattle fattened for sale.

(obsolete) A large tub or vessel for water, wine, or other liquids; a cistern.

(obsolete) A dry measure, generally equal to nine bushels.

To make fat; to fatten.

To become fat; to fatten.

To hit a golf ball with a fat shot.

A large tub, cistern, or vessel; a vat.

A measure of quantity, differing for different commodities.

An oily liquid or greasy substance making up the main bulk of the adipose tissue of animals, and widely distributed in the seeds of plants. See Adipose tissue, under Adipose.

The best or richest productions; the best part; as, to live on the fat of the land.

Work. containing much blank, or its equivalent, and, therefore, profitable to the compositor.

Abounding with fat

Exhibiting the qualities of a fat animal; coarse; heavy; gross; dull; stupid.

Fertile; productive; as, a fat soil; a fat pasture.

Rich; producing a large income; desirable; as, a fat benefice; a fat office; a fat job.

Abounding in riches; affluent; fortunate.

Of a character which enables the compositor to make large wages; - said of matter containing blank, cuts, or many leads, etc.; as, a fat take; a fat page.

To make fat; to fatten; to make plump and fleshy with abundant food; as, to fat fowls or sheep.

To grow fat, plump, and fleshy.

A soft greasy substance occurring in organic tissue and consisting of a mixture of lipids (mostly triglycerides);

A kind of body tissue containing stored fat that serves as a source of energy; adipose tissue also cushions and insulates vital organs;

Excess bodily weight;

Make fat or plump;

Having much flesh (especially fat);

Having a relatively large diameter;

Containing or composed of fat;

Lucrative;

Marked by great fruitfulness;

A chubby body;

Generally, "stocky" is neutral or positive and not considered offensive.

While often used negatively, "fat" can be neutral or positive depending on the context.

Not always, but it often suggests strength and a well-built physique.

Yes, a stocky individual can also carry excess body weight, but the terms refer to different aspects.

No, it also refers to dietary fats and large quantities in general.

No, "stocky" implies a muscular build, while "fat" generally indicates excess body weight.

Occasionally, like in financial contexts where "fat profits" can mean high returns.

It can be, especially if used insensitively or derogatorily about a person's weight.

Not precisely, but they are related, as stocky people are often muscular and strong.

Yes, interpretations of both terms can vary by culture, especially around body image.

No, it's more about body shape than health conditions.

Synonyms include "overweight," "obese," and "plump."

Typically not, as "stocky" generally refers to shorter individuals.

Yes, synonyms include "compact," "sturdy," and "thickset."

Yes, "fat" refers to adipose tissue, a type of body tissue containing stored energy.