mesomorphic

American  

[mez-uh-mawr-fik, mes-, mee-zuh-, -suh-] / ˌmɛz əˈmɔr fɪk, ˌmɛs-, ˌmi zə-, -sə- /

adjective

1. pertaining to or having a muscular or sturdy body build characterized by the relative prominence of structures developed from the embryonic mesoderm (contrasted with ectomorphic, endomorphic).

2. Physical Chemistry. pertaining to or existing in an intermediate state, as a liquid crystal in the nematic or smectic state.

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mesomorphic British  

/ ˌmɛsəʊˈmɔːfɪk /

adjective

1. chem existing in or concerned with an intermediate state of matter between a true liquid and a true solid See also liquid crystal smectic nematic

2. relating to or being a mesomorph

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Other Word Forms

• mesomorphism
  noun
• mesomorphy
  noun

Etymology

Origin of mesomorphic

First recorded in 1920–25; meso- + -morphic

Example Sentences

Examples are everywhere — the hypermasculine video games they play, the mesomorphic superheroes in the movies they watch.

From New York Times • Mar. 5, 2022

This Christmas the pair may be called He-Man and She-Ra, and their blond manes and mesomorphic torsos beckon from shelves in nearly every toy store in the nation.

From Time Magazine Archive

These three components are mixed in various proportions in different people, and they seem to correlate, roughly but by no means exactly, with the endomorphic, mesomorphic and ectomorphic physical components, in that order.

From Time Magazine Archive

The mesomorphic component involves squareness and hardness of body, rugged, conspicuous muscles, large, prominent bones, heavy chest, wrists and hands, broad shoulders, broad hips, powerful pelvis.

From Time Magazine Archive

Accordingly, the Fijians are primarily and definitely mesomorphic, with endomorphy the second strongest component, and ectomorphy, third.

From A Racial Study of the Fijians by Gabel, Norman E.