Butterball

Origin

butter + ball

Full definition of butterball

Noun

1. A round lump of a coagulated fat used in cooking such as butter, margarine, or a spread
2. (derogatory) An overweight person.
• 1988, Vicki Lansky, Fat-Proofing your Children – so that they Never Become Diet-Addicted Adults, page 62"What if your baby is a butterball? Does Fat-Proofing mean you should put your infant on diet?."
3. A small North American duck.
• 1917, in the Hunter-Trader-Trapper, volume 34, page 37:The skipper had his eye on a bunch of butterballs feeding not far from the boat. In fact there were ducks all around — though he did not tell me so.

Synonyms