Wiry

Wiry

Adjective · /ˈwaɪəri/ · lean and tough; resembling wire in character or appearance

Definition

Wiry describes a person, animal, or material that is lean yet surprisingly strong and tough — resembling wire. A wiry athlete is slender but has a resilient, cable-like physique. A wiry plant stem is thin but hard to break. The word implies strength that is not obvious from size or bulk alone.

Etymology

From wire (Old English wīr: metal thread or fine metalwork) plus the adjectival suffix -y. The suffix -y adds the quality of resembling something. By the early 19th century, wiry had transferred wire's physical properties — slender, tough, springy, resistant to breaking — to living bodies and natural materials.