Tubby/ˈtʌbi/ Definition 1 of 2Pro Tip 1/3Physical Description Used to describe someone's round body shape, focusing more on width than height. The tubby man struggled to squeeze through the narrow doorway. Pro Tip 2/3Light-Hearted Tone Generally has a playful or affectionate tone when used among friends. I teased my tubby cat as she rolled around on the floor. Pro Tip 3/3Potential Insult It can be rude to call someone 'tubby' if they might be sensitive about their weight. He apologized after calling his classmate a 'little tubby kid'.