Plump vs. Fat — What's the Difference?

It implies a healthy, often appealing, physical fullness.

Fat can denote a wide or extensive detail in objects.

It can denote a wholesome and substantial quality.

In nutrition, biology, and chemistry, fat usually means any ester of fatty acids, or a mixture of such compounds, most commonly those that occur in living beings or in food.The term often refers specifically to triglycerides (triple esters of glycerol), that are the main components of vegetable oils and of fatty tissue in animals; or, even more narrowly, to triglycerides that are solid or semisolid at room temperature, thus excluding oils. The term may also be used more broadly as a synonym of lipid—any substance of biological relevance, composed of carbon, hydrogen, or oxygen, that is insoluble in water but soluble in non-polar solvents.

Well-rounded and full in form; chubby.

A natural oily substance occurring in animal bodies, especially when deposited as a layer under the skin or around certain organs

Abundant; ample

Any of a group of natural esters of glycerol and various fatty acids, which are solid at room temperature and are the main constituents of animal and vegetable fat

Blunt; direct.

(of a person or animal) having a large amount of excess flesh

To make well-rounded or full in form

Large in bulk or circumference

To become well-rounded, chubby, or full in form

Make or become fat

To drop abruptly or heavily

The ester of glycerol and one, two, or three fatty acids.

To give full support or praise

Any of various soft, solid, or semisolid organic compounds constituting the esters of glycerol and fatty acids and their associated organic groups.

To throw down or drop (something) abruptly or heavily

A mixture of such compounds occurring widely in organic tissue, especially in the adipose tissue of animals and in the seeds, nuts, and fruits of plants.

A heavy or abrupt fall or collision.

Animal tissue containing such substances.

The sound of a heavy fall or collision.

A solidified animal or vegetable oil.

With a heavy or abrupt drop

Obesity; corpulence

With a full or sudden impact

Unnecessary excess

Directly

Having much or too much fat or flesh; plump or obese.

Without qualification; bluntly

Full of fat or oil; greasy.

Having a full and rounded shape; chubby, somewhat overweight.

Abounding in desirable elements

Fat.

Fertile or productive; rich

Sudden and without reservation; blunt; direct; downright.

Having an abundance or amplitude; well-stocked

(intransitive) To grow plump; to swell out.

Yielding profit or plenty; lucrative or rewarding

(transitive) To make plump; to fill (out) or support; often with up.

Prosperous; wealthy

(transitive) To cast or let drop all at once, suddenly and heavily.

Thick; large

(intransitive) To give a plumper (kind of vote).

Puffed up; swollen

(transitive) To give (a vote), as a plumper.

To make or become fat; fatten.

To favor or decide in favor of something.

Carrying more fat than usual on one's body; plump; not lean or thin.

(intransitive) To drop or fall suddenly or heavily, all at once.

Thick; large.

Directly; suddenly; perpendicularly.

Bulbous; rotund.

The sound of a sudden heavy fall.

Bountiful.

(obsolete) A knot or cluster; a group; a crowd.

Oily; greasy; unctuous; rich said of food.

A group of geese flying close together.

(obsolete) Exhibiting the qualities of a fat animal; coarse; heavy; gross; dull; stupid.

Well rounded or filled out; full; fleshy; fat; as, a plump baby; plump cheeks.

Fertile; productive.

Done or made plump, or suddenly and without reservation; blunt; unreserved; direct; downright.

Rich; producing a large income; desirable.

A knot; a cluster; a group; a crowd; a flock; as, a plump of trees, fowls, or spears.

Abounding in riches; affluent; fortunate.

To grow plump; to swell out; as, her cheeks have plumped.

Of a character which enables the compositor to make large wages; said of matter containing blank, cuts, or many leads, etc.

To drop or fall suddenly or heavily, all at once.

(golf) Being a shot in which the ground is struck before the ball.

To give a plumper. See Plumper, 2.

(theatre) Of a role: significant; major; meaty.

To make plump; to fill (out) or support; - often with up.

Alternative form of phat

To cast or let drop all at once, suddenly and heavily; as, to plump a stone into water.

(uncountable) A specialized animal tissue with high lipid content, used for long-term storage of energy: fat tissue.

To give (a vote), as a plumper. See Plumper, 2.

Such tissue as food: the fatty portion of (or trimmings from) meat cuts.

Directly; suddenly; perpendicularly.

(countable) A lipid that is solid at room temperature, which fat tissue contains and which is also found in the blood circulation; sometimes, a refined substance chemically resembling such naturally occurring lipids.

The sound of a sudden heavy fall

That part of an organization deemed wasteful.

Drop sharply;

(slang) An erection.

Set (something or oneself) down with or as if with a noise;

(golf) A poorly played shot where the ball is struck by the top part of the club head. (see also thin, shank, toe)

Make fat or plump;

The best or richest productions; the best part.

Give support (to) or make a choice (of) one out of a group or number;

Work containing much blank, or its equivalent, and therefore profitable to the compositor.

Euphemisms for slightly fat;

A fat person.

Straight down especially heavily or abruptly;

A beef cattle fattened for sale.

Plump signifies a pleasantly full and rounded form.

(obsolete) A large tub or vessel for water, wine, or other liquids; a cistern.

Plump suggests an enticing, hefty, and abundant appearance.

(obsolete) A dry measure, generally equal to nine bushels.

Plump embodies a tactile sense of soft and ample.

To make fat; to fatten.

To become fat; to fatten.

To hit a golf ball with a fat shot.

A large tub, cistern, or vessel; a vat.

A measure of quantity, differing for different commodities.

An oily liquid or greasy substance making up the main bulk of the adipose tissue of animals, and widely distributed in the seeds of plants. See Adipose tissue, under Adipose.

The best or richest productions; the best part; as, to live on the fat of the land.

Work. containing much blank, or its equivalent, and, therefore, profitable to the compositor.

Abounding with fat

Exhibiting the qualities of a fat animal; coarse; heavy; gross; dull; stupid.

Fertile; productive; as, a fat soil; a fat pasture.

Rich; producing a large income; desirable; as, a fat benefice; a fat office; a fat job.

Abounding in riches; affluent; fortunate.

Of a character which enables the compositor to make large wages; - said of matter containing blank, cuts, or many leads, etc.; as, a fat take; a fat page.

To make fat; to fatten; to make plump and fleshy with abundant food; as, to fat fowls or sheep.

To grow fat, plump, and fleshy.

A soft greasy substance occurring in organic tissue and consisting of a mixture of lipids (mostly triglycerides);

A kind of body tissue containing stored fat that serves as a source of energy; adipose tissue also cushions and insulates vital organs;

Excess bodily weight;

Make fat or plump;

Having much flesh (especially fat);

Having a relatively large diameter;

Containing or composed of fat;

Lucrative;

Marked by great fruitfulness;

A chubby body;

Fat refers to the soft flesh on bodies containing a lot of adipose tissue.

It indicates a component in food associated with oily or greasy substances.

Fat implies an excess, possibly beyond what is desired or healthy.

It may suggest the richest or most profitable part.

Not always, as "fat" can refer to a natural and necessary bodily substance, but excess fat can be related to health concerns.

In some contexts, describing a person as fat can be perceived as impolite or offensive.

No, fat can describe other non-dietary aspects, like a “fat chance” meaning a low probability.

Yes, in some instances, like describing wealth or abundance (a “fat paycheck”), it’s positive.

Yes, plump is often used to describe something in a positive or neutral manner, such as fruit or cheeks.

Yes, plump can describe objects that appear full and round, like a cushion or fruit.

Not always, as plump often has a gentler, possibly positive connotation, while fat can be seen as more clinical or negative.

Not necessarily, plump might imply a roundness or fullness without necessarily implying overweight.

Sometimes, especially if the texture implies a soft, yielding fullness, like a plump cushion.

Less commonly, unless referencing the greasy quality of fatty food or the thickness of an object.

Sometimes, like a “fat and happy” condition or a “fat” opportunity, suggesting substantial content or chance.

No, fat can describe non-living things, like a fat book or a fat wallet, implying thickness or abundance.

Less commonly, but if suggesting excess or undesired fullness, it might carry negative implications.

Often, yes. Describing food as plump often implies a juicy, appetizing quality.

Not always, plump describes the appearance, but the healthiness would depend on the food item and context.