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body man

American  
[bod-ee man] / ˈbɒd i ˌmæn /

noun

  1. a male personal assistant to a politician, who, in addition to handling daily schedule and travel logistics, serves as a constant companion and attends to the politician’s immediate personal needs.

    Balancing an armful of papers, the body man ducked into a shop that sold the candidate’s preferred energy drink.

  2. a person who repairs and refinishes the bodies of cars, trucks, and other vehicles.


Etymology

Origin of body man

First recorded in 1915–20 body man for def. 2, and in 2000–05 body man for def. 1

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.

There was no staff member closer to the former president than Band, his so-called body man during Clinton's second term.

From BBC • Feb. 26, 2026

County politics for a decade, including serving as a body man for Antonio Villaraigosa during his failed gubernatorial campaign, Flores moved to Huntington Park in 2018.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2025

One video shows the outcome of a friendly wager: “Told the body man that if I get a million views on the shop TikTok, I get to touch his beard and he said “sure.”

From Seattle Times • Mar. 5, 2023

This week, the virus has spread to the vice-president’s office: five of Mike Pence’s top aides, including his body man and chief of staff, have tested positive.

From The Guardian • Oct. 27, 2020

But on yet another plane of existence, after the death of this physical body, man continues to exist.

From Dorothy's Mystical Adventures in Oz by Evans, Robert J.