portly

Portly is an adjective used to describe a person or animal that is noticeably stout or heavyset, with a rounded, solid body. It can also refer to a dignified or substantial bearing in historical or literary contexts, though modern usage tends to emphasize physical size.

The word originates from the concept of bearing or carriage and was formed with the adverbial suffix -ly. In earlier English, portly carried a neutral or even favorable sense of stateliness, and only later did the sense of being overweight become primary in many contexts.

In contemporary English, portly often conveys a gentle or humorous tone, but it can be perceived as pejorative or old-fashioned depending on context and speaker intent. For sensitive description, alternatives such as stout, heavyset, or corpulent may be chosen, with care to tone and respect.

Synonyms include stout, heavyset, rotund, plump; antonyms include slender, slim, lean, wiry. Related forms include portliness or portlyness as a noun form; portliness can describe the quality of being portly.

In literature and historical writing, portly is common to characterize monarchs, clergymen, or gentlemen of wealth and status, whereas in modern medical or clinical contexts it is not a precise measurement and weight, body mass index, or body fat percentage are used for description and assessment.