A he-man is a man with big, strong muscles — the kind of body you might see on an old poster or in a comic book. The word can sound admiring, but it is also a bit jokey and old-fashioned, as if you are picturing a cartoon strongman more than a quiet real person. Informal. Though actually, a lot of people now hear He-Man and think first of the 1980s cartoon hero with that name; the everyday noun is less common than it once was. It is about a muscular look, not about being brave or kind.