body double

noun

1. a person whose body is shown in a movie or TV show in substitution for a leading actor, especially in a nude scene.

body double

noun

1. films a person who substitutes for a star for the filming of a scene that involves shots of the body rather than the face

Word History and Origins

Origin of body double¹

1990–95

Example Sentences

Visitors to the feeders more frequently attempted to mate with green female body doubles than males or females with male-mimicking blue coloration.

From Science News

It meant the final ad would include the actors’ bodies, so they needed to cast believable body doubles.

From MIT Technology Review

I absolutely hated letting anyone do fast walking or running for me, and had to let a body double do that.

From The Daily Beast

Compared with the lethargic figure of two weeks ago, it was as if the Obama campaign had sent a body double.

From The Daily Beast

For this, Phillips recruited Kassia Meador, one of the top female surfers in the world, to act as her body double.

From The Daily Beast

At the end of the seventh minute Frederick rose, bent his body double and tiptoed out of the room.

From Project Gutenberg

The buff's spine broke and the bear bent the body double, then tore it to pieces.

From Project Gutenberg