musculoso

Musculoso is an adjective used in Spanish and Portuguese to describe a person or animal with well-developed muscles. The term indicates a muscular appearance and is commonly applied in describing physical fitness, sports performance, or everyday observations. It can carry neutral or positive connotations depending on the context, and does not by itself imply a specific level of training.

Etymology: from músculo or músculo (muscle) with the suffix -oso, forming "musculoso" to mean full of muscle. The root músculo comes from Latin musculus (little mouse), a traditional reference to the shape of a muscle. The feminine form is musculosa and the plural is musculosos (masculine) or musculosas (feminine).

Usage: In both languages, musculoso is used in everyday speech and media to describe physique; in Portuguese and Spanish it can refer to people, athletes, or animals. It is generally preferred when the emphasis is on visible muscularity, while "muscular" or "forte" may be chosen in more formal or varied contexts.

Related terms include fuerte, fornido, corpulento, and delgado as opposite concepts. See also musculatura and músculo.