top-heavy

See also: topheavy

English

Adjective

top-heavy (comparative more top-heavy, superlative most top-heavy)

1. having a high centre of gravity, and liable to topple
2. (of an organization) having an excessive number of administrators or managers
3. (of a retirement plan) Having a significant portion of the plan assets allocated to key employees to the detriment of lower-wage employees.
4. (of a person, typically a woman) having a disproportionately large upper body, especially the bust
   • 1941, “Fashion”, in Good Housekeeping, volume 112, page 52:

     "My figure is topheavy, and I always thought a woman with a large bust had to look mature. Now I know better." An all-in-one girdle is a lifesaver for women like Miss B.

   • 1970, John McIntosh, The Stonefish, page 112:

     The top-heavy woman finished her whisky. She left fatty finger marks on the glass.

   • For more quotations using this term, see Citations:top-heavy.

Derived terms

• top-heavy fraction

Translations

having a high centre of gravity thus risk of toppling

• German: topplastig
• Korean: please add this translation if you can
• Maori: tautaka
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: topptung (senses 1, 2, 4)

  Nynorsk: topptung (senses 1, 2, 4)