Muscular vs. Puny — What's the Difference?

Of, relating to, or consisting of muscle

Of inferior size, strength, or significance; weak

Having well-developed muscles

Chiefly Southern US Sickly; ill.

Having or suggesting great forcefulness, especially at the expense of subtlety

Of inferior significance, size, or strength; ineffective, small, weak.

(relational) Of, relating to, or connected with muscles.

(Frequently) ill; poorly, sickly.

Brawny, thewy, having strength.

(obsolete) puisne

Having large, well-developed muscles.

Inferior in rank; specifically, of a judge: junior.

(figurative) Robust, strong.

Coming later in time; secondary, subsequent.

Full-bodied

Not experienced; novice.

Of or pertaining to a muscle, or to a system of muscles; consisting of, or constituting, a muscle or muscles; as, muscular fiber.

(archaic) An inferior person; a subordinate; also, an insignificant person.

Performed by, or dependent on, a muscle or the muscles.

(obsolete)

Well furnished with muscles; having well-developed muscles; brawny; hence, strong; powerful; vigorous; as, a muscular body or arm.

A younger person; a junior.

Of or relating to or consisting of muscle;

Alternative spelling of puisne

Having a robust muscular body-build characterized by predominance of structures (bone and muscle and connective tissue) developed from the embryonic mesodermal layer

A new student at a school, university, the Inns of Court, etc.; a junior.

Having or suggesting great physical power or force;

Imperfectly developed in size or vigor; small and feeble; inferior; petty.

(of a person) possessing physical strength and weight; rugged and powerful;

A youth; a novice.

Inferior in strength or significance;

(used especially of persons) of inferior size