Meaning and origin
What Does BBW Mean? Use the Word Well, Then Say Hello
The reference wording, the origin and why women differ on the word.
BBW stands for big beautiful woman. Wikipedia and Wiktionary describe it as a positive term and credit it to Carole Shaw, who launched BBW Magazine in 1979. Some women reject it, so use it only for a woman who uses it herself.
The word
What BBW stands for, and who gets the credit
Wikipedia calls BBW “a positive (non-pejorative) term”, and Wiktionary lists it as “a positive description” for larger women. Wikipedia also notes it is sometimes used in a derogatory way, so the same three letters can land as a compliment or a jab.
Both sites credit the term to Carole Shaw, saying she coined it in 1979 when she launched BBW Magazine, a fashion and lifestyle magazine for plus-size women. Volunteers write both, so read that as what those sites say, not settled history.
Related words
BBW vs plus-size vs curvy, plus SSBBW and BHM
| Term | What it means | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| BBW | Big beautiful woman. Wiktionary: “a positive description”. | Credited to Carole Shaw, 1979. Some women reject it. |
| SSBBW | Supersized big beautiful woman; Wikipedia says no formal definition explains how it differs from BBW. | A label to choose, never to hand out. |
| BHM | Big handsome man, says Wiktionary. | Modified from BBW: “handsome” for “beautiful”. |
| Plus-size | Merriam-Webster: of clothing, “extra large”, and “sometimes used of a person”. | Mainly a clothing word; use varies by country, says Wikipedia. |
| Curvy | Merriam-Webster: “having curves”, often “having an attractively curved feminine figure”. | A word about shape. Collins: the speaker finds her curves attractive. |
| Body positivity | Collins: people “should feel happy with and proud of their body, whatever shape or size it is”. | Wikipedia: roots in the fat acceptance movement, whose modern form began in the late 1960s. |
Why women feel differently about the word
Some use it proudly
Bustle reported in 2015 that many women have taken BBW back as their own, much as fat activists did with the word fat, so for them it is a word they chose.
Some skip it
Bustle also reported that some people dislike the term, and Wikipedia notes it is sometimes used in a derogatory way.
Her word is the right one
Use whatever she calls herself. With no label at all, her name does the job.
For context: in the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ 2022 National Health Survey, 60.5% of Australian women aged 18 and over were in the overweight or obese range on a body mass index measure, so larger bodies are common, not unusual. That is a body mass index category, not a count of BBWs.
BBW meaning: your questions
How is BBW different from plus-size or curvy?
Merriam-Webster defines plus-size as extra large clothing, sometimes used of a person, and curvy as having curves. BBW is a label with a history and a mixed reception. Follow the word she uses herself.
What do SSBBW and BHM mean?
Wiktionary spells SSBBW out as supersized big beautiful woman and BHM as big handsome man. Wikipedia says no formal definition explains how SSBBW differs from BBW, so treat both as personal labels. Members pick their own tags, BBW / BHM included, as the features page shows.
Is it okay to call someone a BBW?
Only if she uses the word herself. Wikipedia calls the term positive but notes it is sometimes used in a derogatory way, and Bustle reported that some people dislike it. If unsure, use her name and skip the label, as dating a BBW respectfully explains.
Who came up with the term BBW?
Wikipedia and Wiktionary credit the term to Carole Shaw, saying she coined it in 1979 when she launched BBW Magazine for plus-size women. Both are written by volunteers, so treat the credit as their account rather than settled history.
Sources and dates
- Wikipedia: Big Beautiful Woman, Plus-size clothing, Body positivity, Fat acceptance movement (2026).
- Wiktionary: BBW, SSBBW and BHM (2026).
- Merriam-Webster: plus-size and curvy (2026 copies). Collins: curvy (2021 copy) and body positivity (2023 copy).
- Bustle, feature on the term BBW, Marie Southard Ospina (2015).
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, National Health Survey, waist circumference and BMI (2022).
General information only. Entries change, so check before you quote. More slang is in casual dating terms explained. To see how the search works, read BBW singles near me.
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