Fatten
/ˈfæt.ən/noun
To make or become fat; to increase in bulk or plumpness.
Did you know?English fatten is built on the adjective fat, which ultimately traces back to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning “to feed” or “to graze,” so the word’s deepest history is about nourishment before it’s about size.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*peh₂-
“to feed, protect, pasture”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*fata-
“fat, plump”
Old English
English
fǣtt
“fat, plump, well-fed”
Middle English
English
fattenen
“to make fat or plump”
Modern English
English
fatten
“to make or become fat”