body

[ bod-ee ]

/ ˈbɒd i /

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See synonyms for: body / bodied / bodies / bodying on Thesaurus.com

noun, plural bod·ies.

the physical structure and material substance of an animal or plant, living or dead.

a corpse; carcass.

the trunk or main mass of a thing: the body of a tree.

Anatomy, Zoology. the physical structure of a human being or animal, not including the head, limbs, and tail; trunk; torso.

Architecture. the principal mass of a building.

the section of a vehicle, usually in the shape of a box, cylindrical container, or platform, in or on which passengers or the load is carried.

Nautical. the hull of a ship.

Aeronautics. the fuselage of a plane.

Printing. the shank of a type, supporting the face.

Geometry. a figure having the three dimensions of length, breadth, and thickness; a solid.

Physics. a mass, especially one considered as a whole.

the major portion of an army, population, etc.: The body of the American people favors the president's policy.

the principal part of a speech or document, minus introduction, conclusion, indexes, etc.

a person: She's a quiet sort of body.

Law. the physical person of an individual.

a collective group: student body; corporate body.

Also called heavenly body .Astronomy. an object in space, as a planet or star.

a separate physical mass or quantity, especially as distinguished from other masses or quantities.

consistency or density; richness; substance: This wine has good body.Wool has more body than rayon.

the part of a dress that covers the trunk or the part of the trunk above the waist.

Ceramics. the basic material of which a ceramic article is made.

verb (used with object), bod·ied, bod·y·ing.

to invest with or as with a body.

to represent in bodily form (usually followed by forth).

adjective

of or relating to the body; bodily.

of or relating to the main reading matter of a book, article, etc., as opposed to headings, illustrations, or the like.

OTHER WORDS FOR body

3 main, bulk.

12 mass, group, throng, multitude; preponderance, majority.

See synonyms for body on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR body

12 handful, scattering, few.

See antonyms for body on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about body

in a body, as a group; together; collectively: We left the party in a body.

keep body and soul together, to support oneself; maintain life: Few writers can make enough to keep body and soul together without another occupation.

Origin of body

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English bodig; akin to Old High German botah

synonym study for body

1, 2. Body, carcass, corpse, cadaver agree in referring to a physical organism, usually human or animal. Body refers to the material organism of an individual, human or animal, either living or dead: the muscles in a horse's body; the body of a victim ( human or animal ). Carcass refers only to the dead body of an animal, unless applied humorously or contemptuously to the human body: a sheep's carcass; Save your carcass. Corpse refers only to the dead body of a human being: preparing a corpse for burial. Cadaver refers to a dead body, usually a corpse, particularly one used for scientific study: dissection of cadavers in anatomy classes.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use body in a sentence

The refined sugars in rice cakes are also digested quickly in your body, potentially leaving you hungry sooner.
The Rise and Fall of the Rice Cake, America’s One-Time Favorite Health Snack|Brenna Houck|September 17, 2020|Eater
Jiménez said she had to identify her sister’s “decomposed body” twice “just so they would release the body to me.”
Tijuana authorities criticized over handling of transgender woman’s murder|Michael K. Lavers|September 17, 2020|Washington Blade
It helps that 4G data penetration in North Africa and the Middle East is 62 percent, compared with just 34 percent in sub-Saharan Africa, according to the GSM Association, an industry body that represents mobile network operators globally.
The Biggest Challenge for Apple and Spotify in North Africa: YouTube|Eromo Egbejule|September 17, 2020|Ozy
When rain hits the charred remnants, it can transport those harmful materials into rivers, streams, and water bodies.
California wildfires may give way to massive mudslides|Ula Chrobak|September 17, 2020|Popular-Science

The meadow is part of our body, folded outward, ready to be strolled through.
What the Meadow Teaches Us - Issue 90: Something Green|Andreas Weber|September 16, 2020|Nautilus
He observes the bodies floating away on the river, pulling on his cigarette with a sneer.
Houellebecq’s Incendiary Novel Imagines France With a Muslim President|Pierre Assouline|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Their bodies were later found incinerated and buried in mass graves outside of town.
Why Mexicans Are Enraged by Obama’s Big Tuesday Meeting|Ruben Navarrette Jr.|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Within hours, the Indonesian navy said dozens of bodies were being seen.
Wreckage, Bodies of AirAsia Crash Found|Lennox Samuels|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Hundreds of cops saluting as the bodies were rolled out with a full escort by highway patrol.
Anger at The Cop Killer - And The Police|M.L. Nestel|December 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
These women interred the bodies of saints on their own properties and occasionally managed to influence papal politics.
First Anglican Woman Bishop A Return to Christian Roots|Candida Moss|December 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Indeed, a score of bodies lying there had not been seen by Malcolm during his first frenzied examination of the house.
The Red Year|Louis Tracy
The amount of the other purin bodies together is about one-tenth that of uric acid.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis|James Campbell Todd
They carried the two bodies together on some litters, and buried them both in the same grave.
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume XX, 1621-1624|Various
The dead bodies of the two men were guarded until next day, for justice to do its duty.
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume XX, 1621-1624|Various
Then the two bodies of the men were buried, carrying them together from the street to the grave.
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume XX, 1621-1624|Various

British Dictionary definitions for body

body

/ (ˈbɒdɪ) /

noun plural bodies

the entire physical structure of an animal or human beingRelated adjectives: corporeal, physical
(as modifier)body odour

the flesh, as opposed to the spiritwhile we are still in the body

the trunk or torso, not including the limbs, head, or tail

a dead human or animal; corpse

the largest or main part of anythingthe body of a vehicle; the body of a plant

a separate or distinct mass of water or land

the main part; majoritythe body of public opinion

the central part of a written workthe body of a thesis as opposed to the footnotes

a number of individuals regarded as a single entity; groupthe student body; they marched in a body

maths a three-dimensional region with an interior

physics an object or substance that has three dimensions, a mass, and is distinguishable from surrounding objects

fullness in the appearance of the hair

the characteristic full quality of certain wines, determined by the density and the content of alcohol or tannina Burgundy has a heavy body

substance or firmness, esp of cloth

the sound box of a guitar, violin, or similar stringed instrument

a woman's close-fitting one-piece garment for the torso

the part of a dress covering the body from the shoulders to the waist

another name for shank (def. 11)

the pigment contained in or added to paint, dye, etc
the opacity of a paint in covering a surface
the apparent viscosity of a paint

(in watercolour painting)

a white filler mixed with pigments to make them opaque
(as modifier)body colour See also gouache

printing the measurement from top to bottom of a piece of type, usually ascender to descender

an informal or dialect word for a person

keep body and soul together to manage to keep alive; survive

(modifier) of or relating to the main reading matter of a book as distinct from headings, illustrations, appendices, etcthe body text

verb bodies, bodying or bodied (tr)

(usually foll by forth) to give a body or shape to

Word Origin for body

Old English bodig; related to Old Norse buthkr box, Old High German botah body

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with body

body

In addition to the idioms beginning with body

body blow
body English

also see:

keep body and soul together
over my dead body

body

OTHER WORDS FOR body

OPPOSITES FOR body

Idioms about body

Origin of body

synonym study for body

Words related to body

How to use body in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for body

Word Origin for body

Other Idioms and Phrases with body