burly

Meaning

1. (usually) Large, well-built, and muscular.
2. (British, slang) Great, amazing, unbelievable.
3. (US, slang) Of large magnitude, either good or bad, and sometimes both.

Synonyms

sturdy

strong

husky

portly

stout

robust

corpulent

brawny

stalwart

big

strapping

tough

beefy

stocky

solid

bulky

buirdly

huge

thick

firm

plump

pursy

resistant

rugged

stately

stubbed

tall

thickset

well-knit

well-set

herculean

square-built

heavy-bodied

lusty

blocky

bluff

bouncing

broad

buxom

clumpy

clumsy

coarse

crass

dignified

earthy

elephantine

gross

hefty

lubberly

lumpish

Translations

robuste

corpulento

kräftig

iriyarı

solide

χοντρός

stämmig

struis

robust

robusto

de forte carrure

potig

fort

παχύσαρκος

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈbɜːli/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: burly

Cognate with Scots: burely

Inherited from Old English: *būrlīċ

Inherited from Old English: *byrlīċ

Cognate with Old High German: burlīh

Cognate with Old High German: burjan

In summary

From Middle English burly, burely, borly, burlich, borlich, borlic (“tall, stately”), of uncertain origin. Cognate with Scots burely, burly (“rough, stout, sturdy, strong”). Perhaps from Old English *būrlīċ (“noble, stately”, literally “bowerly”), equivalent to bower + -ly; or from Old English *byrlīċ (“high, raised”), from byre (“raised area, mound”), cognate with Old High German burlīh, purlīh (“lofty, elevated, high, exalted”), related to Old High German burjan (“to raise, lift, push up”), English burgeon. However, Irish burla (“bundle, pack; burly person”) points to a different origin.