portlyport‧ly /ˈpɔːtli $ ˈpɔːr-/ adjective written 
Word Origin
a portly old gentleman► see thesaurus at fat
Word OriginWORD ORIGINportly
ExamplesOrigin:
1400-1500 port ‘behavior, deportment’ (14-19 centuries), from French, from porter; ➔ PORTAGEEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
Thesaurus- the portly figure of General von Hindenburg
- The bishop was a dignified, portly man, with thinning white hair.
- As they leaned against a red brick wall, a portly prison system official swabbed at the sweat trickling into his collar.
- But then she also spends some time persuading the audience to laugh at her own idiosyncrasies and rather portly shape.
- Dewey himself campaigned with the portly dignity of an incumbent, while Truman screeched and kicked like an outsider.
- George Shultz, the bluff and portly secretary of state, evidently thought much the same.
- He was a portly man, red-faced and always panting.
- He was amiable, grizzle-haired and portly, with a wide smile.
- The lawyer was a tall, portly man with a snub nose, a square chin, and a short neck.
- Those 29 words sealed the portly politician's fate.
THESAURUS► fat
someone who is portly, especially an old man, is fat and round: having too much flesh on your body. It is rude to tell someone that they are fat. It is also better not to use any of these words when talking directly to someone about their body: · She thinks she’s fat.· He looks the same, just a little fatter.
► overweight weighing more than you should: · Many medical conditions are caused by being overweight.· She was several kilos overweight.
► big/large used when saying that someone has a big body. Large is more common than big in written English: · My father was a big man.· two large ladies
► obese extremely fat in a way that is dangerous to your health: · He went to a summer camp for obese teenagers.
► chubby slightly fat in a nice-looking way – used especially about babies and children: · A chubby little baby was playing on the rug.
► plump a woman or child who is plump is slightly fat, especially in a pleasant way: · Her mother was a plump cheerful woman.
► flabby having soft loose skin that looks unattractive: · a flabby stomach· Her body was getting old and flabby.
► portly literary fat and round – used especially about fairly old men: · The bishop was a portly middle-aged gentleman.
Longman Language Activatorwords for describing someone who is fat► fat having too much flesh on your body. It is rude to tell someone that they are fat: · Peter was a fat little boy.· I'm getting too fat for my clothes.· After thirty years, Teddy looked just the same, only a little fatter.· Most fat people simply eat too much by normal standards.· Though she weighed only six stone, she thought she was fat.
► overweight too fat, especially so that you need to lose some weight in order to be more healthy or attractive: · The doctor said I was slightly overweight and that I needed more exercise.· The majority of overweight people who diet tend to gain the weight back within a few years.5 kilos/10 pounds etc overweight: · My mother is about 50 pounds overweight.grossly overweight (=extremely overweight): · People who are grossly overweight are more likely to suffer from high blood pressure.
► big/large fat - use this especially when you do not want to say 'fat' because it would be impolite: · Even though she's big, Rosemary is an attractive woman.· It's often difficult for large people to find fashionable clothes that fit them.· Mrs. Medlock is a large woman, with a very red face and bright black eyes.· He runs quite fast for a big man.
► plump fat, especially in a pleasant and attractive way: · Stevie is a plump healthy-looking child.· Frieda's mother was a plump, cheerful woman, quick with a laugh. · He's a little on the plump side, but nevertheless quite handsome.
► chubby someone, especially a small child, who is chubby , is fat in a pleasant, healthy-looking way: · The baby was pink and chubby.· Who's that chubby little girl with the dark hair?
► portly someone, especially a fairly old man, who is portly is fat and round - used especially in literature: · The bishop was a dignified, portly man, with thinning white hair.· the portly figure of General von Hindenburg
► hefty big and fat, but also tall and strong: · Both of Myra's sons were hefty, energetic boys.· The mechanic was a big hefty man who could lift up the front of a truck with his bare hands.
► beefy strong but also a little fat and unattractive: · The second prisoner was a fat-faced beefy fellow who smelled of sweat.· Amanda and Tina were both beefy, sporty types.
► burly a burly man is big, strong, and heavy, in a way that may make you feel nervous: · The farmer was a big, burly man with a red face.
► fatty/fatso spoken informal also lard ass American spoken a rude word used for a fat person: · Hey! Fatso! Pull up a couple of chairs!
a portly old gentleman► see thesaurus at fat