big-boned

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Thân thiện

A large, friendly dog is described as big-boned.

Definition

Adjective:
- Having a bone structure that is large or heavy in proportion to the surrounding flesh or overall body size. This term describes a person or animal whose skeletal frame is substantial, often implying a sturdy or robust build, regardless of body weight or fat.

Usage

The term is typically used to describe a person's physical build in a descriptive or sometimes euphemistic manner. It often appears in contexts discussing body type, health, or clothing fit.
Example: "He's not overweight; he's just big-boned." (This suggests his larger frame gives the impression of size, not necessarily excess fat.)
Example: "The breed is known for being big-boned and muscular." (Used to describe an animal's sturdy physical structure.)

Advanced Usage

The term can be used in a sensitive or polite way to describe someone who appears large but whose size may be attributed more to frame than to body fat. However, it can sometimes be perceived as a euphemism.
"To be big-boned": This is the standard phrase. It functions as a predicate adjective.
- She has always been big-boned, even when she was very fit.

Variants and Related Words

Large-framed (adj): A more neutral synonym often used in medical or tailoring contexts.
- The doctor noted he was a large-framed individual.
Sturdy (adj): Strongly and solidly built. (This is a more general term for robust build.)
Heavyset (adj): Having a solid, bulky body build. (This term often implies a combination of bone structure and body mass.)

Synonyms

Notes on Meaning

The primary meaning focuses on the size and density of the skeletal structure itself.
It is distinct from terms describing weight (like "overweight") or muscle mass (like "muscular"), though it can coexist with those states. A big-boned person can be thin, average weight, or heavy.
In some informal contexts, it is used as a gentle or face-saving explanation for being overweight, which can lead to debate about its appropriate use.

A large, friendly dog is described as big-boned.

Adjective

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