Word of the Day

Wednesday, May 05, 2004

embonpoint

\ahn-bohn-PWAN\ , noun;

Plumpness of person; stoutness.

Quotes:

With his embonpoint, Mr Soames appears to be wearing a quadruple-breasted suit.

-- Simon Hoggart, "Roll up, roll up, to explore the Soames Zone", The Guardian, February 1, 2000

His embonpoint expands by the day and his eyes are buried in the fat of his cheeks.

-- quoted in Goethe: The Poet and the Age: Revolution and Renunciation by Nicholas Boyle

Origin:

Embonpoint is from French, literally "in good condition" (en, "in" + bon, "good" + point, "situation, condition").