body composition

noun

plural body compositions
: the relative percentage of fat, muscle, and bone in a body
That combination of fat loss and muscle gain is what leads to an improved body composition.Amanda Capritto
… with declining estrogen levels, there are changes in body composition, cholesterol metabolism, blood sugar regulation and energy metabolism.Tracy Ellen Lippard, quoted in The Merced (California) Sun-Star
… a growing body of evidence suggesting that anemia can exist across a range of body compositionsDivyanshu Singh et al.
Two dogs might weigh the same but have very different body compositions—one might be perfectly fit while the other carries excess fat or lacks muscle mass.Michigan Mama News

Word History

First Known Use

1951, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of body composition was in 1951

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Cite this Entry

“Body composition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/body%20composition. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

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