embonpoint

[KatyBr]

From French litrerally "in good condition": meaning "stoutness"; "portlinress" from You’ve Got Ketchup on Your Muumuu
An A—to—Z Guide to English Words from Around the World

by Eugene Ehrlich
Language Arts
5 1/2 x 8 1/4; 304 pp.
0-8050-6636-5/paperback
$14.00US/$21.95CAN
January 2001

and

:Em`bon`pointŽ
Noun 1. embonpoint - the bodily property of being well rounded
plumpness
fleshiness, obesity - more than average fatness
chubbiness, pudginess, rolypoliness, tubbiness - the property of having a plump and round body
buxomness - the bodily property of being attractively plump and vigorous and (of women) full bosomed
Adj. 1. embonpoint - euphemisms for slightly fat; "a generation ago...buxom actresses were popular"- Robt.A.Hamilton; "chubby babies"; "pleasingly plump"
chubby, plump, zaftig, zoftig, buxom
fat - having much flesh (especially fat); "he hadn't remembered how fat she was"

Legend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Examples from classic literature: More
Their physical resemblance would have been complete if an elderly embonpoint had not stretched Mrs.
The Age of Innocence by Wharton, Edith View in context
Maston, began to acquire a degree of embonpoint which would have rendered them unrecognizable if their imprisonment had been prolonged to some months.
Round The Moon by Verne, Jules View in context
That look of wan emaciation which anxiety or low spirits often communicates to a thoughtful, thin face, rather long than round, having vanished from hers; a clearness of skin almost bloom, and a plumpness almost embonpoint, softened the decided lines of her features.
The Professor by Bronte, Charlotte View in context
Some words with "embonpoint" in the definition:
buxom
buxomness
chubbiness
chubby
fleshiness
obesity
plump
plumpness
pudginess
rolypoliness
tubbiness
zaftig
from: http://www.thefreedictionary.com

It used to be a compliment, sigh.
well Sleek used to mean well rounded like a harbor seal showing no bumps or bones, but now sleek means slender, bony, go figure.....

Katy

[Stargzer]

. . .
It used to be a compliment, sigh.
well Sleek used to mean well rounded like a harbor seal showing no bumps or bones, but now sleek means slender, bony, go figure.....

Katy

I'm not sure seals were necessarily well-rounded unless they had a good Liberal Arts education. Aerodynamic or streamlined, perhaps. Of course, we are not speaking of the Navy Seals here.

sleek

ADJECTIVE: Inflected forms: sleek·er, sleek·est
1. Smooth and lustrous as if polished; glossy: brushed her hair until it was sleek. 2. Well-groomed and neatly tailored. 3. Healthy or well-fed; thriving. 4. Polished or smooth in manner, especially in an unctuous way; slick.

aerodynamic
ADJECTIVE: 1. Of or relating to aerodynamics. 2. Designed with rounded edges so as to reduce wind drag and thereby increase fuel efficiency. Used especially of motor vehicles.

(Hydrodynamic didn't seem to have similar connotation for the water-borne.)

[gailr]

Ah, Katy, you forgot Rubenesque.
-gailr

[Stargzer]

Which of course should be Rubensesque!

Seems to me we've had that discussion before!