stout
Strong, healthy, or solidly built — mountain talk for tough.
Updated September 24, 2026
stout pronunciation
/STOWT/
Meaning
In Appalachian and redneck speech, stout often means vigorous and well, not just thick around the middle. Are you stout? can mean are you feeling strong. A stout woman might do a man's work. Folks also use it as a softer way to say somebody is heavy-set. Context tells you which sense is meant.
How folks use it
- “Reckon you're stout enough to help lift that motor?”
- “Becky was a stout woman who could work like any man.”
Origin and etymology
Old English and Germanic roots for bold or strong. In mountain English the health-and-strength sense stayed lively. Dictionary of Smoky Mountain English cites Civil War letters and cove talk where stout means robust after sickness or powerful in body. Outside the hills, people more often hear stout as fat or as dark beer.
Frequently asked questions
Does stout always mean overweight?
No. Around here it often means strong or healthy. Calling somebody stout can also be a polite way to say they're big.