physique

noun

phy·​sique fə-ˈzēk How to pronounce physique (audio)
Synonyms of physiquenext
: the form or structure of an animal's body and especially a human body : bodily makeup

Synonyms of physique

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of physique in a Sentence

she had a well-toned physique
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
What does fitness and physique mean to you in your work and in your everyday life? — Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Aug. 2026 Sarah Connor has reshaped her entire persona (not just her physique) in the wake of what happened to her in the first film. — ArsTechnica, 28 Aug. 2026 Some undergo cosmetic procedures and reportedly inject their bodies with peptides, testosterone, and other substances that enhance their physiques. — José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 27 Aug. 2026 Jelly Roll isn’t backing down from making jokes at the president’s expense, with the country star once again taking aim at Donald Trump‘s physique during his guest-hosting stint on Jimmy Kimmel Live! — Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 27 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for physique

Word History

Etymology

French, from physique physical, bodily, from Latin physicus of nature, from Greek physikos

First Known Use

1804, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of physique was in 1804

Rhymes for physique

See All Rhymes for physique

Browse Nearby Words

physiotherapy
physique
physiqued
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Physique.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/physique. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

physique

noun
phy·​sique fə-ˈzēk How to pronounce physique (audio)
: the build of a person's body

Medical Definition

physique

noun
phy·​sique fə-ˈzēk How to pronounce physique (audio)
: the form or structure of a person's body : bodily makeup
a muscular physique

More from Merriam-Webster on physique

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about physique

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All