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Synonyms

body language

American  

noun

  1. nonverbal, usually unconscious, communication through the use of postures, gestures, facial expressions, and the like.

body language British  

noun

  1. the nonverbal imparting of information by means of conscious or subconscious bodily gestures, posture, etc

"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

Etymology

Origin of body language

First recorded in 1925–30

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.

It’s meant to be first in a new category of emotionally intelligent robots, trained to respond appropriately to our tone of voice, body language and overall vibe.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 4, 2026

Sport, performance and culture, body language and even gestures are all used in the course and, until a few years ago, no language was taught at all.

From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026

It is amazing what body language can tell you in a still picture.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

As soon as they heard those words from the manager, I watched their body language immediately shift from excitement to visible tension.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026

She doesn’t say anything, but I can see the pleasure in her body language, the way she hunches hungrily over the bills and runs her good hand across their crisp surfaces.

From "Legend" by Marie Lu

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.