buxom
UK: ˈbʌksəm | US: ˈbʌksəm
adj. (of a woman) plump, curvaceous, and healthily attractive
adj. (archaic) lively, cheerful, or compliant
buxom = bux<flexible, obedient> + om<adjective suffix>
- bux (from Old English būgan, meaning "to bend, bow, or obey")
- om (a suffix forming adjectives, often implying a quality or state)
Etymology Origin:
Originally, buxom in Middle English (buhsum) meant "obedient" or "compliant," derived from the Old English verb būgan ("to bend"). Over time, the meaning shifted metaphorically from "flexible in character" to "lively" or "good-humored." By the 16th century, it began describing women with a cheerful, plump physique—a cultural ideal of health and attractiveness—eventually narrowing to its modern sense of "curvaceous."
The buxom waitress charmed customers with her warm smile.
In Victorian literature, buxom heroines symbolized vitality and fertility.
The term once described a buxom spirit rather than a physical trait.
She carried her buxom figure with confidence and grace.
Older texts use "buxom" to describe a person’s agreeable demeanor.