BBW vs curvy vs thick vs SSBBW: what the words mean on a dating profile
Updated September 2026
Curvy means a defined waist with fuller hips or bust, at almost any size. Thick is a full figure, big through the hips, thighs and bottom — and it's the word most often misread. BBW stands for big, beautiful woman: clearly plus-size and comfortable saying so. SSBBW is a super-sized BBW, at the larger end of plus-size.
On a dating profile, the gap between the word you use and the picture it puts in the reader's head is where the surprises come from. The table below pairs each term with the picture most readers end up with.
The terms side by side
| Word | What it usually means | What the reader often pictures | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Curvy | A defined waist with fuller hips, bust or both | Anything from slim with a bust to plus-size | So broad it says little on its own |
| Thick | A full figure, big through the hips, thighs and bottom | A toned hourglass with a flat stomach | The word behind the most first-meet surprises |
| Slim-thick | Slim waist and upper body, big hips and thighs | Much the same | Not a plus-size term |
| Chubby | Soft and rounder all over | Usually what's meant | Plain, and rarely misread |
| Plus-size | Wears plus-size clothes | Varies a lot | A fashion term more than a dating one |
| BBW | Big beautiful woman: clearly plus-size, and fine with it | Clearly plus-size | Some women use it proudly; others don't want to hear it from a man |
| SSBBW | Super-sized BBW: the larger end of plus-size | Very big | Self-described; there's no official cut-off |
| Fat | Plainly big | Plainly big | Some women use it with pride. It's their word to choose |
| BHM | Big handsome man | A big guy | The men's equivalent of BBW |
Thick vs curvy: the one that causes surprises
"Thick" has drifted. Music videos and social media turned it into shorthand for a mainstream hourglass: small waist, big bottom, mostly flat stomach. So a soft plus-size woman and a gym-built hourglass can both write "thick", and a lot of men picture the second one.
"Curvy" has the opposite problem. It's been stretched so far that it covers a slim woman with a bust and a plus-size woman equally well — which means it tells the reader almost nothing.
They overlap without being the same. Curvy is about shape. Thick is about fullness in the lower half.
If one of these is your word, keep it — but pair it with something plainer, or a clear full-length photo, so nobody has to guess. The women's guide to joining has a quick guide to wording your profile.
BBW and SSBBW: where the words came from
The term goes back to 1979, when a plus-size fashion magazine took BBW as its name. It was a positive, style-first answer to a world that mostly treated big women as a problem to be fixed.
From there the letters moved into personal ads, then dating sites, then porn categories — and that last stop is part of why some women happily call themselves BBW while others wince when a stranger uses it about them.
SSBBW arrived later, as a way of saying "bigger than that". There's no official weight or size where BBW ends and SSBBW begins; it's self-described. If a woman calls herself SSBBW, that's what she is.
BHM and the men's side
BHM stands for big handsome man, and it's how big men most often describe themselves on BBW sites. Some are drawn to BBW women, and some women specifically want a big man.
You'll also see FA, short for fat admirer: someone attracted to bigger bodies. It's the politer, longer-established term — "chubby chaser" is the blunt version, and has its own guide. For how big men and couples get on here, see BBW hookups.
Other words you'll see on profiles
- GGG: good, giving and game. It comes from a long-running sex advice column, and describes someone attentive in bed, keen for a partner to enjoy it too, and open to trying things within reason.
- FWB: friends with benefits. A friend you also sleep with; no relationship.
- NSA: no strings attached. Casual, with no expectations beyond the meet.
- Feeder / feedee: a specific kink around eating and weight gain. It isn't a general preference for bigger bodies, and it isn't something to raise with anyone who hasn't mentioned it first.
Which word should you use?
If you're a woman describing yourself: use your own word, then back it up with a recent full-length photo. If your word is "thick" or "curvy", add one plainer line about your size or shape.
If you're a man messaging her: mirror her word choice. Her "curvy" shouldn't become your "fat", and her "fat" shouldn't get softened to "curvy". Don't call her BBW unless she uses the word first.
There's more on this in how to approach a BBW woman.
See how members describe themselves: join free
Questions about BBW terms
What does SSBBW mean?
Super-sized big beautiful woman — a woman at the larger end of plus-size. There's no official cut-off, and women use it to describe themselves.
Is "BBW" offensive?
Not in itself. Plenty of women use it about themselves with pride. Some dislike hearing it from men they don't know, because of how it gets used in porn. Use it only if she uses it first.
What does GGG mean on a dating site?
Good, giving and game: someone attentive in bed, invested in their partner's pleasure, and open to trying new things within reason.
What does BHM mean?
Big handsome man. Many big men use it about themselves on BBW sites, and some women search for it specifically.
Is thick the same as curvy?
Not quite. Curvy describes shape: a defined waist with fuller hips or bust. Thick describes fullness in the hips, thighs and bottom. Plenty of women are both.