portly Hear it!

portly Definition

portly (pôrt)

adjective -·lier, -·li·est

  1. large and heavy in a dignified and stately way
  2. stout; corpulent

Etymology: port + -ly

portly Related Forms

port·li·ness noun

portly Synonyms

portly

modif.

  1. Fat

    corpulent, heavy, stout; see fat 1.

  2. Dignified

    majestic, grand, remarkable; see impressive 1, striking.

portly Usage Examples

Modifies a noun

  • gentleman: What do you think Scrooge whispers to the portly gentleman who had earlier visited his counting house?
  • figure: The portly figure of Brian Hall was seated between them.
  • man: He was a tall, portly man, then past middle life.
  • frame: Despite its fairly portly frame it showed it can be flung around the skies.
  • chap: It was a Brit, Malcolm Sayer, a rather portly chap who smoked roll up cigarettes.
  • lady: The portly lady jumped onto her seat and started screaming.

Modifying Another Word

  • rather: It was a Brit, Malcolm Sayer, a rather portly chap who smoked roll up cigarettes.
  • slightly: And despite its slightly portly girth, the S-type exhibits a surprising turn of speed.
  • somewhat: His somewhat portly figure always sported a white waistcoat with a gold watch and chain.
  • too: For those too portly or lazy to turn to pedal power, taxis are the only way to avoid public transport.