Flabby
/ˈflæbi/noun
Soft, loose, and lacking firmness or tone.
Did you know?Flabby is believed to be an expressive English formation, likely influenced by older words like flab and flap, rather than a long classical root—proof that some words are born from sound, not scholarship.
Etymological Timeline
Late 18th Century
English
flabby
“Loose, soft, and lacking firmness”
18th Century
English
flab
“Soft, loose flesh or a dangling, slack mass”
16th Century
English
flap
“To strike loosely, or something that hangs and moves slackly”
Unknown/Expressive Formation
English
flabby
“Likely formed in English as an imitative or expressive word suggesting slackness or softness”