Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

zaftig

/ˈzɑf.tɪɡ/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.27 in modern English

Syllables: zaftig
IPA: /ˈzɑf.tɪɡ/

19

Scrabble Score

6

Letters

2

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Having a plump and sexually attractive figure; voluptuous, well-proportioned; large.

American usage; Colloquial

Example Sentences

"By his description the same broad. A zaftige piece too, in a mink stole."
"Sportcasters are drawn from three different talent pools. Some are professional media people, others are ex-coaches and the most zaftig lot are ex-players."
"Well, a certain zaftig coed told this on herself. She tried to give her all to Brainy in exchange for a passing grade in the general math course necessary to any degree on our campus. […] "Brainy" didn't accept, didn't refuse, wasn't offended, didn't seem to understand. He told her that she had better talk to her instructor about getting tutoring and a re-exam. Now Miss Zaftig is circulating the story that Prof "No Brain" must be a eunuch or a robot. Not even a homo. Totally sexless."
"But I've been waiting for you just to say / The zoftig chick is mine / But all I know is you got no money / But that's got nothing to do with a good time"
"Mrs Stahlbaum, a much more zaftig figure than the Housekeeper, wears a strawberry blonde wig with bangs, her hair tied back in a bun."
"Short and zoftig, she [Sue Mengers] wore muumuus and rose-tinted, oversize glasses, was loud, abrasive, and very funny."

Etymology

From Yiddish זאַפֿטיק (zaftik), cognate to German saftig (“juicy”). Doublet of sappy.

Origin

Source language: Yiddish

Word Breakdown

Root: זאַפֿטיק

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈzɑf.tɪɡ/
British English: /ˈzæf.tɪɡ/

Usage

American usage
Colloquial

Inflected Forms

more zaftig (comparative) most zaftig (superlative) zoftig (alternative) zaftige (alternative)

Synonyms

buxom Rubenesque voluptuous built chubby curvaceous curvesome curvy embonpoint full-figured juicy sensual

Questions

How do you pronounce zaftig?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈzɑf.tɪɡ/.
What does zaftig mean?: Having a plump and sexually attractive figure; voluptuous, well-proportioned; large.
Where does zaftig come from?: It is traced to Yiddish.

How to pronounce zaftig

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “zaftig”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈzɑf.tɪɡ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “zaftig”.
Repeat and practice — Say “zaftig” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.