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chub (CHUHB) - n., any of various European freshwater fishes of the family Cyprinidae related to the carps, especially Leuciscus cephalus, with short, thick bodies; any of various unrelated North American fish, especially the black bass (genus Micropterus) and whitefish (genus Coregonus).
Origin is disputed -- it first shows up in Middle English as chubbe in the 15th century meaning a short, thick fish species used as bait (which in Tudor times was used metaphorically for a lazy person), but from whence that is unclear. There are, however, apparent cognates in various north Germanic languages with senses in the spectrum of block/lump/log, strongly suggesting that chubby is a close cognate.
---L.
Origin is disputed -- it first shows up in Middle English as chubbe in the 15th century meaning a short, thick fish species used as bait (which in Tudor times was used metaphorically for a lazy person), but from whence that is unclear. There are, however, apparent cognates in various north Germanic languages with senses in the spectrum of block/lump/log, strongly suggesting that chubby is a close cognate.
---L.
