the word "stubby" is a straightforward english formation. its core, "stub," originates from the old english word for a tree stump or a short, truncated remnant, a concept rooted in everyday physical experience. the adjectival suffix "-y," also of old english origin, is appended to indicate the possession of that characteristic. therefore, "stubby" literally means "having the qualities of a stub"—namely, being short, thick, and blunt. this logical construction directly translates the concrete image of a cut-off stump into a descriptive term for any similarly shaped object, from fingers to bottles.

Structure: stub (short remaining part) + y (adjective-forming suffix) "stub" is from old english stubb (tree stump), of germanic origin. the suffix "-y" is from old english -ig, used to form adjectives meaning "having the quality of" or "full of".