bodily
Americanadjective
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of or relating to the body.
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corporeal or material, as contrasted with spiritual or mental.
adverb
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as a physical entity; as a complete physical unit.
The tornado picked him up bodily and threw him against the wall.
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in person.
You have to appear bodily at the box office in order to have your reservation confirmed.
adjective
adverb
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by taking hold of the body
he threw him bodily from the platform
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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.
But behind the staged virility lies a ruler unusually preoccupied with bodily decline.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026
All are clad from head to toe in hazard suits with facemasks and goggles, to guard against a disease spread through close physical contact and bodily fluids.
From Barron's • May 24, 2026
He also invited a cadet onstage to highlight physical fitness achievements, underscoring a recurring emphasis on bodily standards as a marker of military excellence.
From Salon • May 24, 2026
Ebola is a deadly viral disease spread through direct contact with bodily fluids.
From Barron's • May 22, 2026
I was haunted by the bodily sacrifice of Malcolm, by Attica and Stokely.
From "Between the World and Me" by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Definitions 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.
