General
onion skin
What does onion skin mean?
Slang for skin so low in subcutaneous fat it looks paper-thin, accentuating every striation and vein.
"His conditioning was onion-skin thin, you could see every fibre."
Origin
Bodybuilding slang comparing thin skin to an onion's papery layer.
Frequently asked questions
What does onion skin mean in bodybuilding?
Onion skin describes skin so low in subcutaneous fat it looks paper-thin, showing off every striation and vein underneath.
Why is it called onion skin?
It compares the thin, translucent look of a very lean bodybuilder's skin to the papery outer layer of an onion.
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