gibbosity
|gib-bo-si-ty|
🇺🇸
/ˌɡɪˈbɑːsəti/
🇬🇧
/ˌɡɪˈbɒsɪti/
hump; convex bulge
Etymology
'gibbosity' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'gibbus', where 'gibbus' meant 'hump'.
'gibbosity' developed via the Late Latin adjective 'gibbosus' (meaning 'humped'), passed into Medieval/Modern Latin and Middle English as 'gibbous', and the noun form 'gibbosity' was formed in English by adding the suffix '-ity'.
Initially, it referred to being humped or having a hump; over time it became a noun denoting convexity or a protuberant bulge (including the rounded phase of the moon).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the state or quality of being gibbous; convexity or roundness (often used of a celestial body such as the moon).
The gibbosity of the moon was striking through the haze.
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Noun 2
a protuberance or hump; a rounded swelling or bulge on a surface.
The sculpture's subtle gibbosity gave the form an organic quality.
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Last updated: 2025/11/08 21:54