zaftig means having a plump and sexually attractive figure; voluptuous, well-proportioned; large. It carries an Arena rating of 1388, earned across 3 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, zaftig ranks #297 of 17,150 for Funniest Words, #547 of 17,115 for Most Vivid Words, #1,550 of 17,130 for Best Fossil-Poetry Words, #2,345 of 17,116 for Words That Escaped Their Books.
zaftig is pronounced /ˈzæf.tɪɡ/.
Why “zaftig” is a great word
Having a plump, curvaceous, and sexually attractive figure. From Yiddish זאַפֿטיק (zaftik, "juicy"), from Middle High German saft ("juice"). First recorded in English use in the 1930s. Unlike "svelte," which prizes a lean silhouette, or "corpulent," a clinical term for bulk, "zaftig" celebrates a generous, succulent abundance. It is the soft curve of a hip in a housedress, the full swell of a laugh against silk, the ripe weight of a peach in the hand—a word thick with life and the unapologetic pulse of appetite.
Etymology
From Yiddish זאַפֿטיק (zaftik), cognate to German saftig (“juicy”). Doublet of sappy.
adj
- Having a plump and sexually attractive figure; voluptuous, well-proportioned; large.e.g.“By his description the same broad. A zaftige piece too, in a mink stole.”
Words closest in meaning
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