Short and squat in appearance; looking dull, ugly, or unpleasant; like a dump or garbage heap.
From dump (a place for garbage) plus -y (like). Possibly influenced by Dutch domp. Developed in English around 1700s with the sense of 'dull' or 'shabby.'
The word 'dumpy' is interesting because it combines visual appearance (short and squat) with judgment (looking bad)—which shows how language bakes in opinions. We literally have 'unkind adjectives' built into English.
Disproportionately applied to women's bodies; historically used in beauty standards discourse to shame women, particularly those with non-slender builds.
Avoid for describing people or bodies. For architecture/objects, neutral usage is acceptable if necessary.
["compact","sturdy","squat (for objects)","low-slung"]
Body-based insults have been weaponized against women to police appearance and reduce self-worth; reclaim language celebrating diverse body types.
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