muscle Mary
- noun
- /ˈmʌsəl ˈmɛri/
- Slur
:
[INSULTO] hombre gay musculoso
- The club was full of muscle Marys flexing and showing off their physiques.
Examples
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Some people find the confidence of a muscle Mary both inspiring and intimidating.
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Many muscle Marys compete in bodybuilding competitions.
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He fondly refers to his gym partner as a muscle Mary because of his dedication to bodybuilding.
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Look at that muscle Mary at the gym!
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He fondly refers to his gym partner as a muscle Mary because of his dedication to bodybuilding.
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The club was full of muscle Marys flexing and showing off their physiques.
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Many muscle Marys compete in bodybuilding competitions and inspire others with their confidence.
Synonyms
21
3.0
A person who trains hard to make large, well-defined muscles, often for contests
1
4.5
A man with large strong muscles from exercise
1
5.2
A very large man who is strong
A person who trains to build large strong muscles for competitions
A person who exercises to build very large, strong muscles
A person who exercises to make large, strong muscles
A person who has very large muscles and a strong body
How Muscular
Surface Forms
Morphology
muscle + Mary
Although 'muscle' contributes a sense of physical strength, the proper name 'Mary' has no inherent semantic contribution that would signal 'flamboyant gay man' or a bodybuilder; the social and sexual connotations are slangy and culturally specific. This is an idiomatic, socially marked label whose meaning a B1 learner who only knows the constituent words would not reliably infer.
Etymology
Muscle Mary combines muscle, meaning big, showy muscles, and the name Mary, which has sometimes been used as a playful label for a gay man. One popular idea is that this image shows a man who is very muscular and likes to show off, so the phrase means 'a showy, muscular gay man' or a bodybuilder who proudly displays his muscles.