Sinewy
/ˈsɪn.ju.i/noun
Having strong, lean, corded muscles or tendons; also strong and forceful in style.
Did you know?Sinewy comes from the Old English root for a tendon or cord, ultimately tied to a Proto-Indo-European base meaning “to bind” or “tie,” so the word’s hidden history is literally about being bound together like living rope.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*syu-
“to bind, sew, or tie together”
Old English
OE
sinu
“a tendon or sinew”
Middle English
ME
sinewe
“a tendon, nerve, or cord-like band in the body”
14th Century
English
sinewy
“full of sinews; strong, corded, muscular”
Modern English
English
sinewy
“lean, muscular, and strongly built; forceful or vigorous in style”