mesomorph
(ˈmɛsəʊmɔːf, ˈmiːzəʊ-)
[f. meso- + Gr. µορϕ-ή form.]
1. Anthropometry. A person with a powerful, compact body-build in which the physical structures developed from the mesodermal layer of the embryo, i.e. the bones, muscles, and connective tissues, predominate: one of W. H. Sheldon's three constitutional types (cf. ectomorph, endomorph 2).
| 1940 W. H. Sheldon Varieties Human Physique iii. 35 Bones, muscles, connective tissue..predominate overwhelmingly in the variants of type 2. We therefore call these variants mesomorphs. 1944 A. Huxley Let. 19 July (1969) 508 The football team entirely composed of big-boned, large-faced mesomorphs. 1951 Auden Nones (1952) 56 Behold the manly mesomorph Showing his splendid biceps off. 1971 J. Z. Young Introd. Study Man xxxix. 573 In mesomorphs muscle and bone predominate,..and they are adventurous, aggressive, extroverted, and dominating. |
2. Physical Chem. = mesophase (s.v. meso-). rare.
| 1969 [see mesomorphism]. |
Hence ˈmesomorphy, the mesomorphic body-build; the quality of being mesomorphic.
| 1940 W. H. Sheldon Varieties Human Physique i. 5 Mesomorphy means relative predominance of muscle, bone, and connective tissue. 1944 [see endomorphy]. 1962 [see ectomorph]. 1969 Downs & Bleibtreu Human Variation vii. 248 A football player, for example, would be high in mesomorphy. |