body

1 of 2

noun

plural bodies
1
a
: the main part of a plant or animal body especially as distinguished from limbs and head : trunk
held her arms close to her body
a bird with a yellow body and head and black markings on its wings
b
: the main, central, or principal part: such as
(1)
architecture : the nave of a church
(2)
: the bed or box of a vehicle on or in which the load is placed
(3)
: the enclosed or partly enclosed part of an automobile
the truck's body, hood, and fenders
2
a
: the organized physical substance of an animal or plant either living or dead
She has a muscular body.
body parts
normal body temperature
: such as
(1)
: the material part or nature of a human being
when the soul leaves the body
(2)
: a dead organism : corpse
The body was shipped home for burial.
b
: a human being : person
What's a body to do?
3
a
: a mass of matter distinct from other masses
a body of water
the movements of celestial bodies
b
: something that embodies or gives concrete reality to a thing
his intuitions of the future may still give body to a better worldNew York Times
also : a sensible object in physical space
c
: aggregate, quantity
a body of evidence
4
a
clothing : the part of a garment covering the trunk or torso
the body of a wet suit
b
: the main part of a literary or journalistic work : text sense 2b
The body of the article is devoted to an analysis of the problem.
c
: the sound box or pipe of a musical instrument
5
: a group of persons or things: such as
a
: a fighting unit : force
a body of cavalry
b
: a group of individuals organized for some purpose
a legislative body
the university's student body
6
a
: fullness and richness of flavor (as of wine)
a wine with full body
b
: viscosity, consistency
used especially of oils and grease
c
: denseness, fullness, or firmness of texture
Her hair lacks body and shine.
d
music : fullness or resonance (see resonance sense 2) of a musical tone

body

2 of 2

verb

bodied; bodying

transitive verb

1
: to give form or shape to : embody
2
: represent, symbolize
usually used with forth
never been a poet who enjoyed the sensuous world with more gusto … or who more solidly bodied it forthEdmund Wilson
3
basketball, informal : to use one's body to forcefully block or move (an opposing player)
If Jordan spins past him or bodies him away, Russell won't give up on the play.Ian Thomsen
often used with up
The most physical player this side of Shaq, Artest not only bodies up forwards but also has the quickness to defend shooting guards.L. Jon Wertheim

Examples of body in a Sentence

Noun a part of the body Her body is very muscular. A bird's body is covered in feathers. This species has a black body and a white head. She held her arms tightly against her body. There was extensive damage to the truck's body. The body of the bus is almost entirely rusted out. Verb abstract sculpture that bodies forth the artist's aesthetic of minimalism
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
And the search for bodies under the rubble of the complex continued on Saturday. Tanya Stukalova, ABC News, 24 Mar. 2024 The hip drop involves a defender hoisting himself off the ground and dropping his hips and/or lower body to pull an offensive player straight down, frequently trapping the lower legs of the person being tackled. Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2024 According to oncologists, adjuvant chemotherapy is used to target microscopic cancer cells that may be invisible to the eye and remain in the body after a primary treatment. Isabella Kwai, New York Times, 23 Mar. 2024 Plus, tattoos vary widely in size, color and physical location on the body. John Swierk, CBS News, 23 Mar. 2024 Giving birth is believed to disturb the body’s equilibrium, so new mothers traditionally engage in zuo yue zi, or thirty to forty days of rest at home, pampered by family. Clarissa Wei, The New Yorker, 23 Mar. 2024 Pacemakers are medical devices implanted in the body to regulate heart rhythms. Pengju Li, Discover Magazine, 23 Mar. 2024 Egg consumption could improve the body’s production of a specific enzyme that leads to stronger bones, experts said. Sarah Garone, Health, 23 Mar. 2024 Tingling or numbness: Some individuals may experience tingling, numbness or a pins-and-needles sensation near the bite area or in other parts of the body. The Arizona Republic, 23 Mar. 2024
Verb
Kelce is faster than any linebacker and bigger than any defensive back yet would be powerless to get bodied in song should the Swift union dissolve poorly. Gabe Lacques, USA TODAY, 6 Feb. 2024 The Toronto Raptors practically skated in transition, picked apart rotation lapses and bodied the small Warriors with length and strength. Shayna Rubin, The Mercury News, 8 Jan. 2024 Pili tried to body Iriafen to the cup, but Stanford’s player of the game stood her ground and won possession back by tying the center up, effectively cementing the win. Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 12 Jan. 2024 Jerry and Ray may have been a veritable David and Goliath of the death-care industry, but this David’s lethal sling took the outsized form of Willie Gary, a flamboyant personal-injury attorney with little contract-law experience but an impressive track record of bodying the competition. Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2023 One of only 26 left-hand-drive examples of the S-Type two-door saloon bodied by H J Mulliner, chassis No. Robert Ross, Robb Report, 25 Sep. 2023 Several other surfers, including the one nearly bodied by the spinner shark, seemed unbothered. Jonathan Edwards, Washington Post, 20 Sep. 2023 That was textbook work by the corner, who bodied Parker and just took the ball away from him. Christopher Price, BostonGlobe.com, 18 Sep. 2023 Majority White voting bodies lead to unconscious bias As for why these mainstream awards are slow to reward and recognize diverse talent, the answer is often in the awards bodies themselves. Leah Asmelash, CNN, 11 Mar. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'body.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English, from Old English bodig; akin to Old High German boteh corpse

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of body was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near body

Cite this Entry

“Body.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/body. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

body

noun
ˈbäd-ē
plural bodies
1
a
: the physical whole of a living or dead organism
b
: the trunk or main part of an organism
c
: a human being : person
2
: the main or central part
the body of a truck
the body of a letter
3
: the section of a garment covering the main part of the body
4
: a mass or portion of matter different from other masses
a body of water
a body of cold air
5
: a group of persons or things with a common aim or character
a body of troops
a body of laws
6
: richness or fullness of flavor or texture

Medical Definition

body

noun
plural bodies
1
a
: the organized physical substance of an animal or plant either living or dead: as
(1)
: the material part or nature of a human being
(2)
: a dead organism : corpse
b
: a human being
2
a
: the main part of a plant or animal body especially as distinguished from limbs and head : trunk
b
: the main part of an organ (as the uterus)
3
: a kind or form of matter : a material substance

More from Merriam-Webster on body

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