thickset

This term describes a physical build characterized by density and strength rather than height or lean muscle. It suggests a squareness of frame, often implying a person who is difficult to push or move due to their compact, sturdy proportions. It is generally a neutral or positive descriptor of physical power, though it lacks the athletic connotation of words like toned or ripped.

Because it describes an inherent physical quality, the word is used almost exclusively as an attributive adjective. It is rarely used as a predicative adjective following a linking verb, as in "the man is thickset," though this is grammatically possible. It focuses on the structural composition of the body rather than weight alone.