Resembling wire in appearance or texture; thin but strong and tough.
From 'wire' plus '-y' (adjective suffix). Wire-like appearance has been described this way since at least the 1600s, later extended to describe tough, muscular bodies.
Wiry muscles are actually denser and more efficient than bulky muscles—sprinters and rock climbers often have wiry builds because the strength-to-weight ratio is perfect for quick, explosive movements.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.