bodily
Americanadjective
-
of or relating to the body.
-
corporeal or material, as contrasted with spiritual or mental.
adverb
-
as a physical entity; as a complete physical unit.
The tornado picked him up bodily and threw him against the wall.
-
in person.
You have to appear bodily at the box office in order to have your reservation confirmed.
adjective
adverb
-
by taking hold of the body
he threw him bodily from the platform
-
in person; in the flesh
Synonym Usage
See physical.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of bodily
First recorded in 1250–1300, bodily is from the Middle English word bodylich. See body, -ly
Explanation
The adjective bodily describes something that has to do with your physical self. Bodily functions include things that happen both inside your body, like digestion and breathing, and outside your body, like walking. If your new kitten scratches your arms, you might say that Mr. Whiskers has caused you bodily harm. In religion, bodily is sometimes used in contrast to "spiritual." As an adverb, this word can be used to mean "in a way that involves someone's body." Your little brother might sleep so soundly that when he falls asleep in the car, you have to carry him bodily into the house.
Vocabulary lists containing bodily
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
There may be other contributory factors to any outbursts — including fatigue, lack of sleep, hunger, thirst, pain, infection, medications, bodily functions and irregular routines, among other many variables.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 30, 2026
Some experts are worried that the virus -- caught through contact with bodily fluids -- could have spread after the Swiss couple landed back in Nigeria on October 3.
From Barron's ● Oct. 27, 2026
Health workers and carers can face a higher risk of Ebola infection because caring for infected patients may bring them into contact with blood and other bodily fluids.
From BBC ● Oct. 20, 2026
Looking at his work is like peering through a series of conjoined windows that lead to different times, spaces and bodily states.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2026
Then it suddenly occurred to Bigger that he need not be standing, that he had no reason to fear bodily harm from Jan here in jail.
From "Native Son" by Richard Wright
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
