Thick vs. Curvy: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
"Thick" often refers to a more solid or broad physical build, while "curvy" describes a body shape with pronounced waist-to-hip ratio.
Key Differences
"Thick" typically implies a fuller, more substantial body shape, often emphasizing a general sense of robustness or sturdiness. In contrast, "curvy" specifically highlights a body with a well-defined waist and pronounced hips, emphasizing the curves of the figure.
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Dec 05, 2023
While "thick" can refer to an overall larger body size without necessarily a defined waist, "curvy" focuses on the contours and the hourglass shape, regardless of the person's overall size.
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Dec 05, 2023
"Thick" is sometimes used more broadly to describe objects or features that are wide or substantial in dimension, not just limited to body shape. On the other hand, "curvy" is almost exclusively used to describe organic forms or shapes with graceful bends and arcs.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
In contemporary slang, "thick" often carries positive connotations, celebrating a body type that is full and robust. "Curvy," similarly, is used positively to refer to a body shape with a distinct waist and hip ratio, often seen as aesthetically pleasing.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
In summary, while both "thick" and "curvy" are terms used in the context of body shapes, "thick" refers to a general fullness, whereas "curvy" is more specific to the shape of the waist and hips.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
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Comparison Chart
Usage Scope
Can describe overall size or specific features
Primarily describes body contours
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Dec 05, 2023
Cultural Context
Often a positive descriptor of body positivity
Celebrates specific body shape aesthetics
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Dec 05, 2023
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Thick and Curvy Definitions
Thick
(Of a liquid) dense and almost solid in consistency.
She stirred the thick soup, waiting for it to heat.
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Dec 05, 2023
Curvy
(Of a person's body) having a well-defined waist and prominent hips.
She wore a dress that accentuated her curvy figure.
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Dec 05, 2023
Thick
Not sharp or clear; indistinct.
His voice was thick with emotion, barely audible.
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Dec 05, 2023
Curvy
Characterized by curves or turns.
The artist's curvy lines added a dynamic feel to the painting.
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Dec 05, 2023
Thick
Relatively great in extent from one surface to the opposite, usually in the smallest solid dimension; not thin
A thick board.
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Oct 19, 2023
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Curvy
Having curves; not angular.
The curvy road up the mountain was breathtaking.
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Dec 05, 2023
Thick
Measuring a specified number of units in this dimension
Two inches thick.
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Oct 19, 2023
Curvy
Deviating from a straight line; having bends.
The river flowed in a curvy path through the forest.
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Dec 05, 2023
Curvy
(Informal) Attractively shaped; voluptuous.
She admired the curvy design of the vintage car.
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Dec 05, 2023
Thick
Having component parts in a close, crowded state or arrangement; dense
A thick forest.
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Oct 19, 2023
Curvy
A line that deviates from straightness in a smooth, continuous fashion.
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Oct 19, 2023
Thick
Having or suggesting a heavy or viscous consistency
Thick tomato sauce.
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Oct 19, 2023
Curvy
A surface that deviates from planarity in a smooth, continuous fashion.
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Oct 19, 2023
Thick
Hard to hear or understand, as from being husky or slurred
Thick speech.
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Oct 19, 2023
Curvy
A trend derived from or as if from such a graph
"Once again, the politicians are behind the curve" (Ted Kennedy).
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Oct 19, 2023
Curvy
A graphic representation showing the relative performance of individuals as measured against each other, used especially as a method of grading students in which the assignment of grades is based on predetermined proportions of students.
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Oct 19, 2023
Thick
In a thick manner; deeply or heavily
Seashells lay thick on the beach.
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Oct 19, 2023
Thick
In a close, compact state or arrangement; densely
Dozens of braids hung thick from the back of her head.
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Oct 19, 2023
Curvy
(Slang) Something that is unexpected or designed to trick or deceive.
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Oct 19, 2023
Thick
So as to be thick; thickly
Slice the bread thick for the best French toast.
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Oct 19, 2023
Curvy
To move in or take the shape of a curve
The path curves around the lake.
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Oct 19, 2023
Thick
Relatively great in extent from one surface to the opposite in its smallest solid dimension.
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Oct 19, 2023
Thick
Measuring a certain number of units in this dimension.
I want some planks that are two inches thick.
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Oct 19, 2023
Thick
Heavy in build; thickset.
He had such a thick neck that he had to turn his body to look to the side.
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Oct 19, 2023
Thick
Having a viscous consistency.
My mum’s gravy was thick but at least it moved about.
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Oct 19, 2023
Thick
Greatly evocative of one's nationality or place of origin.
He answered me in his characteristically thick Creole patois.
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Oct 19, 2023
Thick
Difficult to understand, or poorly articulated.
We had difficulty understanding him with his thick accent.
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Oct 19, 2023
Thick
The thickest, or most active or intense, part of something.
It was mayhem in the thick of battle.
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Oct 19, 2023
Thick
Measuring in the third dimension other than length and breadth, or in general dimension other than length; - said of a solid body; as, a timber seven inches thick.
Were it as thick as is a branched oak.
My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins.
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Oct 19, 2023
Thick
Having more depth or extent from one surface to its opposite than usual; not thin or slender; as, a thick plank; thick cloth; thick paper; thick neck.
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Oct 19, 2023
Thick
Dense; not thin; inspissated; as, thick vapors. Also used figuratively; as, thick darkness.
Make the gruel thick and slab.
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Oct 19, 2023
Thick
Not transparent or clear; hence, turbid, muddy, or misty; as, the water of a river is apt to be thick after a rain.
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Oct 19, 2023
Thick
Abundant, close, or crowded in space; closely set; following in quick succession; frequently recurring.
The people were gathered thick together.
Black was the forest; thick with beech it stood.
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Oct 19, 2023
Thick
Not having due distinction of syllables, or good articulation; indistinct; as, a thick utterance.
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Oct 19, 2023
Thick
Dull; not quick; as, thick of fearing.
His dimensions to any thick sight were invincible.
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Oct 19, 2023
Thick
The thickest part, or the time when anything is thickest.
In the thick of the dust and smoke.
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Oct 19, 2023
Thick
A thicket; as, gloomy thicks.
Through the thick they heard one rudely rush.
He through a little window cast his sightThrough thick of bars, that gave a scanty light.
Through thick and thin she followed him.
He became the panegyrist, through thick and thin, of a military frenzy.
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Oct 19, 2023
Thick
To a great depth, or to a greater depth than usual; as, land covered thick with manure.
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Oct 19, 2023
Thick
To thicken.
The nightmare Life-in-death was she,Who thicks man's blood with cold.
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Oct 19, 2023
Thick
The location of something surrounded by other things;
In the midst of the crowd
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Oct 19, 2023
Thick
Not thin; of a specific thickness or of relatively great extent from one surface to the opposite usually in the smallest of the three solid dimensions;
An inch thick
A thick board
A thick sandwich
Spread a thick layer of butter
Thick coating of dust
Thick warm blankets
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Oct 19, 2023
Thick
Closely crowded together;
A compact shopping center
A dense population
Thick crowds
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Thick
Relatively dense in consistency;
Thick cream
Thick soup
Thick smoke
Thick fog
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Oct 19, 2023
Thick
Spoken as if with a thick tongue;
The thick speech of a drunkard
His words were slurred
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Oct 19, 2023
Thick
Hard to pass through because of dense growth;
Dense vegetation
Thick woods
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Oct 19, 2023
Thick
(of darkness) very intense;
Thick night
Thick darkness
A face in deep shadow
Deep night
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Oct 19, 2023
Thick
Heavy and compact in form or stature;
A wrestler of compact build
He was tall and heavyset
Stocky legs
A thick middle-aged man
A thickset young man
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Oct 19, 2023
Thick
(used informally) associated on close terms;
A close friend
The bartender was chummy with the regular customers
The two were thick as thieves for months
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Oct 19, 2023
Thick
Having a large distance between opposite sides.
The book had thick pages, making it quite heavy.
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Dec 05, 2023
Thick
Dense in composition or consistency.
The fog was so thick, I couldn't see the road ahead.
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Dec 05, 2023
Thick
(Slang) Having a robust or full body shape.
She admired her thick, healthy hair in the mirror.
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Dec 05, 2023
Repeatedly Asked Queries
Is "curvy" always related to body shape?
Primarily, but it can also describe anything with a curvaceous form, like roads or designs.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
What does "thick" mean in slang?
In slang, "thick" often refers to a person who has a full, robust body shape.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
Can "thick" be used to describe objects?
Yes, "thick" can describe objects that are wide or substantial in dimension.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
Does "curvy" imply a specific body size?
No, "curvy" refers to the shape, particularly a defined waist and hips, not the size.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
Can "thick" have negative connotations?
Contextually, it can, but it is often used positively in modern slang.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
Can men be described as "thick" or "curvy"?
Yes, though "curvy" is less common for men.
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Dec 05, 2023
Are "thick" and "curvy" interchangeable?
Not always, as "thick" refers to overall fullness, while "curvy" is about shape.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
Is "thick" used in formal writing?
It's more common in informal contexts, especially in its slang usage.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
Is "curvy" a modern term?
"Curvy" has been used historically but has gained positive, modern connotations.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
Do "thick" and "curvy" have the same origin?
No, they come from different etymological backgrounds.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
Can "thick" be used in a non-physical context?
Yes, like describing a thick fog or a thick plot in a story.
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Dec 05, 2023
Is "curvy" a respectful term?
Generally, yes, especially in the context of body positivity.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 05, 2023
Is "curvy" used in art?
Yes, to describe lines or forms that are not straight.
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Dec 05, 2023
Are these terms used in medical contexts?
Rarely, as medical descriptions tend to be more precise.
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Dec 05, 2023
Are there fashion styles specific to "curvy" figures?
Yes, certain styles are designed to flatter a curvy figure.
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Dec 05, 2023
How do perceptions of "thick" and "curvy" vary culturally?
Cultural norms influence how these terms are viewed and used.
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Dec 05, 2023
Does "curvy" relate to fitness?
It describes body shape, which can be independent of fitness level.
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Dec 05, 2023
Can animals be described as "thick" or "curvy"?
"Thick" can be used, but "curvy" is rare for animals.
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Dec 05, 2023
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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