When it comes to describing a person’s appearance, the words slim, thin, lean, healthy, thick, fat, etc are used. Each of these words has a different meaning and each of them represents a different appearance. The words like thick and fat are often used synonymously but they have different meanings and representations.
Thick vs Fat
The main difference between thick and fat is that a thick person is the one who has an above-average size, thick people have slimmer waistline but the thicker lower portion of the body, such a body is said to have a pear shape, on the other hand, a fat person is the one who has a lot of flesh or has an excessive amount of loose flesh, fat people have a large stomach, fat arms and legs, such a body is said to have an apple shape.
The word thick is used generally to represent a person having size more or above than the average, however, the word thick is taken in a positive sense. The word fat is used to represent the person with a lot of loose and excess flesh, the word is taken in a negative or insulting sense.
Comparison Table Between Thick and Fat
| Parameter of Comparison | Thick | Fat |
| Basic meaning | In the context of describing a person’s appearance, the word thick is used to describe an above average sized person. | In the context of describing appearances, the word fat is used to represent a person with an excess amount of flesh which is usually loose. |
| Representation of what type of connotation | People use to associate the word thick with a positive connotation. It is taken as a compliment. | People usually associate the word fat with a negative connotation, they take it as an insult. |
| Characteristics | A thick person is usually characterized by a slim waistline and thicker breasts and a lower portion of the body. | A fat person is characterized by a large or fatty stomach, fat thighs and upper arms, also the loose skin of arms, legs, and sides of the body. |
| Point of View | There is no general point of view of a thick person’s appearance. | The general point of view of people towards a fat person is that they consider them as unattractive and ugly. People think that fat people are at higher risk of getting chronic diseases. |
| Usage | The word thick is used to represent someone’s appearance especially females. | The word fat is generally used to denote or represent an obese or overweight person. |
What is Thick?
Thick is an adjective that defines the quality of being thick. In the context of describing appearances, thick is used to represent or denote a person who has a size more than the average. Generally, this word is used to describe the appearances of females.
The word is generally looked at as a positive one and this one takes it as a compliment. People do not get offended when they are called thick. Some of the characteristics of the thick persons include a slim waistline, thicker breasts, a thicker lower portion of the body, etc. Such characteristics of the body make it look like a pear, therefore, the shape is named as a pear-shaped body.
There is no general point of view associated with thick people. Thick people are considered as being healthy or physically fit.
What is Fat?
Fat is an adjective that defines a quality. In the context of describing appearances, the word fat is used to represent a person who has an excess amount of fat bulging out from his body. It defines obese and overweight people.
This word is looked at as inferior and is associated with a negative connotation. If a person is called fat, he or she feels insulted. The characteristics of being fat include a fatty stomach, fat thighs and upper arms, loose skin of arms, legs and on the sides of the body, etc. Their fat bulges out of the body. These characteristics make a body look like an apple, therefore, this shape of the body is termed an apple-shaped body.
Fat people are generally called as being unattractive or ugly and is looked at as being unhealthy. Being fat has a number of associated health risks such as heart diseases, strokes, high blood pressure, diabetes, etc.
Main Differences Between Thick and Fat
- When it comes to describing the appearance of a person, the word thick is used to represent the person having a size that is above average, on the other hand, the word fat is used to represent a person having an excess amount of loose flesh.
- The word thick is usually used to represent a person’s appearance generally of females whereas the word fat is used to represent an obese or overweight person.
- People associate the word thick with a positive connotation whereas the word fat is usually associated with a negative connotation.
- People take the word thick as a compliment, on the other hand, people take the word fat as an insult.
- A thick person has a slimmer waistline but a thicker breast and lower portion of the body while a fat person has a large stomach, fat at arms and legs, loss skin, etc.
- The shape of a thick person’s body is termed as a pear-shaped body, on the other hand, the body shape of a fat person is termed as Apple shape.
- People usually think that a fat person is unattractive or ugly while there is no such general view associated with a thick person.
- There are a number of health risks associated with being fat while a thick person has a lesser number of health risks.
Conclusion
Before using the words, it is really important to understand their meaning and usage, because using it without proper understanding can hurt the emotions of people. Therefore, it is recommended to understand them first and then use them.
References
- https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/assessment-of-the-amount-of-fat-in-the-human-body-from-measurements-of-skinfold-thickness/DA80501B784742B9B2F4F454BDEE923B
- https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/assessment-of-the-amount-of-fat-in-the-human-body-from-measurements-of-skinfold-thickness/DA80501B784742B9B2F4F454BDEE923B