What does bosomy mean?
"Bosomy" is an informal adjective most often used to describe a woman who has a full or prominent bust. The word derives from "bosom," an old English term for the chest or breast area, which itself has carried connotations of warmth, embrace, and intimacy for centuries. While its primary sense refers to physical anatomy, "bosomy" also appears in descriptive prose to characterize any shape that is generously rounded or ample — a plush armchair, a rolling hillside, or the swelling curve of a sail. Because it draws attention to a specific part of the body, the word can sound dated or objectifying in contemporary usage, particularly when applied directly to people; writers today more often reach for alternatives such as "curvaceous" or simply describe the figure without anatomical emphasis. Still, "bosomy" retains value as a vivid, evocative descriptor in literary fiction and character description, where its slightly old-fashioned flavor can lend texture to period settings and vivid characterization.
(Of a woman) having a large or well-developed bust; full-figured in the chest.
"The portrait showed a bosomy noblewoman reclining on a velvet chaise."
Rounded, swollen, or ample in form — applied by extension to non-anatomical objects.
"A bosomy cloud bank gathered over the western hills at dusk."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of bosomy
"Bosomy" is formed from "bosom" — an Old English word ("bósm") meaning the chest or breast — combined with the adjectival suffix "-y." The base word "bosom" has been part of English since before the Norman Conquest, carrying senses of both physical anatomy and emotional closeness (as in "to hold someone to one's bosom"). The adjective "bosomy" emerged later, likely in the 19th century, as writers sought vivid ways to describe feminine figures in fiction. It shares its root with related words like "embosom" (to enclose lovingly) and "unbosom" (to reveal one's thoughts).
Related word forms
How bosomy is actually used
Informal to literary register. "Bosomy" can carry a slightly dated or objectifying connotation when used to describe women, so it should be used with care in modern writing; the extended sense describing rounded physical forms is neutral.
Easily confused with bosomy
"Buxom" is a close synonym meaning attractively plump and full-figured, while "bosomy" specifically emphasizes a large bust.