What does corpulently mean?
"Corpulently" is an adverb describing action done in a corpulent — that is, excessively fleshy, stout, or heavy-bodied — manner. It typically appears in literary or narrative prose to characterize how a person sits, moves, breathes, or settles into a space: someone might slump "corpulently" into a chair or recline "corpulently" on a couch. The word derives from Latin "corpus," meaning body, via "corpulentus," and shares that root with words such as "corpse," "corporal," and "corporate." Because it foregrounds bodily bulk, it tends to carry a descriptive, often faintly humorous or unflattering connotation, and modern usage leans formal or old-fashioned; writers reach for it when they want a vivid, slightly Dickensian image of portly comfort or ponderous movement. Its closest relatives are "corpulent" (the adjective) and "corpulence" (the noun), with the adverb being the least common of the three.
adverbIn a corpulent manner; in a way that suggests or relates to excessive bulk of body, especially in a heavy, fleshy, or stout manner.
- In a manner characterized by excessive bodily flesh or bulk; heavily and stoutly.
"He settled corpulently into the armchair, which groaned beneath him."
"The old landowner sat corpulently behind his desk, barely glancing up at the petitioners."
"She described the pasha reclining corpulently on a divan piled with cushions."
It comes from the same Latin root as 'corpse' — so calling someone corpulent is literally linking their bulk to the Latin word for a dead body.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of corpulently
Corpulently derives from the adjective "corpulent," which entered English from Old French "corpulent" in the late Middle Ages, ultimately from Latin "corpulentus" (fleshy, stout), a derivative of "corpus" (body). The same Latin root gives English "corpse," "corporal," "corporate," and "corps." The adverb was formed by adding the standard English "-ly" suffix to "corpulent," likely by the 17th century.
Related word forms
How corpulently is actually used
A literary and somewhat formal or old-fashioned adverb; it carries a descriptive, sometimes faintly comic or unflattering tone in narrative prose rather than neutral clinical description.
Easily confused with corpulently
'Corporeal' means relating to the physical body or material things, while 'corpulently' describes doing something in a fat or bulky manner.