# Is "curvy" a euphemism for fat? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 1, 2005, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-curvy-a-euphemism-for-fat/306355 "2005-06-01T13:14:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2005, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-curvy-a-euphemism-for-fat/306355/61 "2005-06-03T21:21:12Z")
> [@badbadrubberpiggy](#): > > With all those choices, what the hell does “other” mean? :eek: Usually not anorexic. Usually not decapitated.In my experience, it’s been … 1. The honest girl’s “a few extra pounds,” when she knows that the term has been subject to weight deflation by other much larger women. We’re talking 5’ 5" and 147 pounds; literally about ten pounds or so above her ideal weight as shown on various [url="[http://www.nutricounter.com/articles/womenmedium.htmheight/weight](http://www.nutricounter.com/articles/womenmedium.htmheight/weight) charts. 2. Physically disabled. I’ll echo the thoughts of others here. In the real world, the equivalent of 1990s-era Anna Nicole Smith or Jennifer Tilly would probably be considered “curvy.” All the terms outside of “slender,” “athletic” and “average” in online dating services are suject to weight deflation, and “cyrvy” usually means “stocky with large breasts” or “large, but with breasts that project farther than a gut” - Wynona Judd, early 2000s-era Anna Nicole, and so on. I’ve noticed that that most “curvy” women have face-only shots. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2005, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-curvy-a-euphemism-for-fat/306355/62 "2005-06-03T21:40:48Z")
> [@elmwood](#): > > I’ve noticed that that most “curvy” women have face-only shots. See, and I think I would probably go for a body-only shot, and if the guy can identify me by my rack, he’s in. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2005, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-curvy-a-euphemism-for-fat/306355/63 "2005-06-03T21:44:24Z")
If? I often _only_ get identified by my rack. Say, do you know who UrbanChic is? UrbanChic…Ur-ban-Chic. Wow the name sounds awfully familiar. Wait…is she the gal with the big tits? Yeah, I know her. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2005, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-curvy-a-euphemism-for-fat/306355/64 "2005-06-03T22:11:29Z")
> [@UrbanChic](#): > > Wait…is she the gal with the big tits? Yeah, I know her. Didja ever see that episode of Saturday Night Live where it’s set in the future and all the women’s eyes have migrated into their breasts because that’s where men have been looking for so long? I loved that episode… 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2005, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-curvy-a-euphemism-for-fat/306355/65 "2005-06-03T23:35:55Z")
> [@UrbanChic](#): > > If? I often _only_ get identified by my rack. > > Say, do you know who UrbanChic is? > > UrbanChic…Ur-ban-Chic. Wow the name sounds awfully familiar. Wait…is she the gal with the big tits? Yeah, I know her. Yea yea! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-curvy-a-euphemism-for-fat/306355/67 "2011-10-10T02:00:47Z")
Reported. (Just in for Halloween - Fluffy Zombies!) :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-curvy-a-euphemism-for-fat/306355/68 "2011-10-10T02:07:02Z")
How do people find these threads??? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-curvy-a-euphemism-for-fat/306355/69 "2011-10-10T02:07:48Z")
> [@bjesnorton](#): > > Curvy now does not mean fat. It is used widely to describe a females body as per the eye of the beholder. A women with curves;) > > Don’t believe me?..checkout [removed link] > > The ladies are curvacious, voluptuous big beautiful women next to a skinny model are sexier. It’s a term that is used for the everyday women across the USA. > > A lot has changed in the last few years and acceptance is finally here. Amen. I love bigger women for the reason that who doesn’t prefer a little meat on one’s bones. No offense, but most of those chicks ARE fat. Nothing wrong with that, but that’s not just curvy. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-curvy-a-euphemism-for-fat/306355/70 "2011-10-10T02:11:14Z")
> [@Misnomer](#): > > The thing with that is, Queen Latifah is 5’10 … “curvy” and “voluptuous” don’t sound _quite_ as good when applied to someone who is 5’3. 😉 [Salma Hayek](http://www.google.com/imgres?q=salma+hayek&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=1119&bih=831&tbm=isch&tbnid=macaFP-c6YeUqM:&imgrefurl=http://venus.provocateuse.com/show/salma_hayek/16&docid=oaBoSgK_-3sxLM&w=507&h=768&ei=BlSSTu2gK6eNsAKfp7yEAg&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=156&page=9&tbnh=191&tbnw=136&start=188&ndsp=18&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:188&tx=84&ty=-293) is 5’2". How’s it sounding now? ---
**Author:** ![janis\_and\_c0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janis_and_c0/32/21_2.png) [@janis\_and\_c0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janis_and_c0)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-curvy-a-euphemism-for-fat/306355/71 "2011-10-10T02:26:28Z")
Not Necessarily, I’m fat AND curvy. So there! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-curvy-a-euphemism-for-fat/306355/72 "2011-10-10T02:42:08Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > How do people find these threads??? According to what the mods have said some time ago the board was indexed by Google. That’s why we seem to have so many more zombies these days. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-curvy-a-euphemism-for-fat/306355/73 "2011-10-10T02:47:58Z")
> [@Sigmagirl](#): > > [Salma Hayek](http://www.google.com/imgres?q=salma+hayek&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=1119&bih=831&tbm=isch&tbnid=macaFP-c6YeUqM:&imgrefurl=http://venus.provocateuse.com/show/salma_hayek/16&docid=oaBoSgK_-3sxLM&w=507&h=768&ei=BlSSTu2gK6eNsAKfp7yEAg&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=156&page=9&tbnh=191&tbnw=136&start=188&ndsp=18&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:188&tx=84&ty=-293) is 5’2". How’s it sounding now? 36-24-36? Only if she’s 5’3" ---
**Author:** ![Lasciel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e79b87/32.png) [@Lasciel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lasciel)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-curvy-a-euphemism-for-fat/306355/74 "2011-10-10T03:06:02Z")
> [@bjesnorton](#): > > Curvy now does not mean fat. It is used widely to describe a females body as per the eye of the beholder. A women with curves;) > > Don’t believe me?..checkout SPAMMMMY SPAM!!! > > The ladies are curvacious, voluptuous big beautiful women next to a skinny model are sexier. It’s a term that is used for the everyday women across the USA. > > A lot has changed in the last few years and acceptance is finally here. Amen. I love bigger women for the reason that who doesn’t prefer a little meat on one’s bones. (quote modified by me, if you didn’t notice) Good Lord, man, that thread is over 5 years old! Jesus, show a little bit of sense when you’re going around flamingly spamming your (god I hope you’re getting something out of this other than banned) website. On related notes, does anyone think that curvy zombies are attractive? I would have to say that while I’m all about a good Latifah in life, I think that in death, Tilda Swinton-types have less to … um… deflate and get caught on the scenery. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-curvy-a-euphemism-for-fat/306355/75 "2011-10-10T10:42:42Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > According to what the mods have said some time ago the board was indexed by Google. That’s why we seem to have so many more zombies these days. Yeah, I’ve read that. It’s the specific threads that get me. What are people Google searching that leads to the revival of these obscure topics?! ---
**Author:** ![rhubarbarin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-curvy-a-euphemism-for-fat/306355/76 "2011-10-10T14:19:10Z")
It just depends on who is using the word. I have heard before that on dating sites, ‘curvy’ means overweight, to most people. To me, and to some other people, ‘curvy’ refers to the size difference between your middle, your upper body and your lower body - it’s more about bone structure. Skinny woman can be curvy, fat women can be curvy, and anyone in between. Many women are not curvy, no matter their size or weight - the lines of their bodies from their shoulders to their hips are straight. I have been referred to as curvy plenty of times, and I am underweight and very much NOT voluptuous! But I have an X-shaped body and my hips are 12" bigger around than my waist. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-curvy-a-euphemism-for-fat/306355/77 "2011-10-10T14:51:45Z")
OK, ignoring the zombie bit - I’m aiming for a revival of “shapely”. I think it has the good implications of “curvy” without the sizeist baggage, so far. Anyone agree? HAs the bonus of being good Anglish. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-curvy-a-euphemism-for-fat/306355/78 "2011-10-10T15:22:30Z")
Ahh, an oldie but a goodie. I miss **UrbanChic**. ---
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-curvy-a-euphemism-for-fat/306355/79 "2011-10-11T05:09:19Z")
In case you want a (somewhat) more recent take on this topic, [here you go.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=496184) ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-curvy-a-euphemism-for-fat/306355/80 "2011-10-11T12:49:14Z")
Curvy means you have a waist that is smaller than your hips or bosom. If you are shaped like a meatball, regadless of weight, you are not curvy. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-curvy-a-euphemism-for-fat/306355/81 "2011-10-11T13:04:15Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > OK, ignoring the zombie bit - > I’m aiming for a revival of “shapely”. I think it has the good implications of “curvy” without the sizeist baggage, so far. Anyone agree? > > HAs the bonus of being good Anglish. Nope, it means the same thing. Any term that alludes to being slightly overweight can be used as understatement. It’s just a part of our language. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-curvy-a-euphemism-for-fat/306355.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-curvy-a-euphemism-for-fat/306355.md?page=5)