mesomorph

American  

[mez-uh-mawrf, mes-, mee-zuh-, -suh-] / ˈmɛz əˌmɔrf, ˈmɛs-, ˈmi zə-, -sə- /

noun

1. a person of the mesomorphic type.

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mesomorph British  

/ ˈmɛsəʊˌmɔːf /

noun

1. a person with a muscular body build: said to be correlated with somatotonia Compare ectomorph endomorph

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Etymology

Origin of mesomorph

First recorded in 1935–40; meso- + -morph

Explanation

If you're a big, strong, muscular person, you can describe yourself as a mesomorph. There is a theory of body types and the way they relate to personality called "constitutional psychology." An important part of this idea divides people into three categories based on their bodies — a mesomorph is the strongest type, with prominent muscles and very little body fat. The theory, developed in the 1940's, is now considered outdated. Mesomorph combines the Greek words mesos, "middle," with morphe, "form."

Example Sentences

Essentially, I’m your garden-variety mesomorph who doesn’t eat to live but, rather, who lives to eat her feelings.

From Salon • Jan. 2, 2013

The producers of “X-Men,” Mr. Jackman says, worry about this transformation from mesomorph to ectomorph.

From New York Times • Dec. 8, 2011

There is not one ounce of excess baggage on his 5-ft. 10-in., 195-lb. frame; physiologists have called him "the perfect mesomorph."

From Time Magazine Archive

The extreme endomorph is a 711, the extreme mesomorph a 171, the extreme ectomorph a 117.

From Time Magazine Archive