anybody

[en-ee-bod-ee, -buhd-ee]

pronoun

1. any person.

noun

plural

anybodies 

1. a person of some importance.

   If you're anybody, you'll receive an invitation.

anybody

/ ˈɛnɪˌbɒdɪ, -bədɪ /

pronoun

1. any person; anyone

2. (usually used with a negative or a question) a person of any importance

   he isn't anybody in this town

noun

1. (often preceded by just) any person at random; no matter who

Usage

See each, they ( def. ).

Spelling Note

The pronoun anybody is always written as one word: Is anybody home? There isn't anybody in the office. The two-word noun phrase any body means “any group” ( Any body of students will include a few dissidents ) or “any physical body” ( The search continued for a week despite the failure to find any body ). If the word a can be substituted for any without seriously affecting the meaning, the two-word noun phrase is called for: a body of students; failure to find a body. If the substitution cannot be made, the spelling is anybody. Anybody is less formal than anyone. See also anyone.

Word History and Origins

Origin of anybody¹

First recorded in 1250–1300, anybody is from Middle English ani bodi. See any, body

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. anybody's guess, a matter of conjecture.

   It's anybody's guess why she quit.

Example Sentences

Bryan Little of the California Farm Bureau, which represents thousands of agricultural businesses, said he has visited many farms and added, “I don’t ever recall seeing anybody working in a farm field who appeared to be under the age of 18.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Pratt said when he asked the chief if anybody from the state was there, the chief told him a woman from the state came up to him with a map showing him all the areas that were protected that firefighters couldn’t touch.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“I can fit in with anybody,” James said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"But you just feel that we'll take anybody right now and it doesn't matter, and a lot of that is down to Craig Bellamy."

Read more on BBC

"Anybody who has been to America will know that there's always a small town 30 miles outside with plenty of motels strung out along the highway."

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• anyone 
• everybody 
• everyone 
• public