portly

1 of 2

adjective

port·​ly ˈpȯrt-lē How to pronounce portly (audio)
portlier; portliest
Synonyms of portlynext
1
: dignified, stately
2
: heavy or rotund of body : stout
portliness noun

portliness

2 of 2

noun

port·​li·​ness
ˈpōrtlēnə̇s, 
-ȯrt-, 
-ōət-, 
-lin-
plural -es
: the quality or state of being portly

Synonyms of portly

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Adjective

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Examples of portly in a Sentence

Adjective a portly gentleman who clearly didn't get enough exercise walked with the portly grace of the grande dame that she was
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Adjective
Oh, and being a bit on the portly side couldn't hurt one's chance's, either. — Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 22 July 2023 That’s when the portly orphan, who was riding in the van with her, slices off her face to wear it as his own. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 18 Feb. 2022 In Facebook groups dedicated to Texas barbecue fandom, a recently popular meme shows a portly man dancing on a stripper pole. — Elizabeth Findell, WSJ, 9 Mar. 2022 The portly, silver-haired son of a Breton fisherman viewed himself as a man with a mission — to keep France French under the banner of the National Front. — Thomas Adamson, Los Angeles Times, 7 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for portly

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

port entry 3

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of portly was in the 15th century

Rhymes for portly

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Browse Nearby Words

Port Louis
portly
Port Macquarie pine
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Cite this Entry

“Portly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/portly. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

portly

adjective
port·​ly ˈpōrt-lē How to pronounce portly (audio)
ˈpȯrt-
portlier; portliest
: heavy of body : stout
portliness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on portly

Nglish: Translation of portly for Spanish Speakers

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