body plan
- Biology. the basic shape of members of an animal phylum; the general structure each individual organism assumes as it develops.Compare bilateral symmetry, radial symmetry.
- Naval Architecture. a diagrammatic elevation of a hull, consisting of an end view of the bow on one side of the center line and an end view of the stern on the other side, marked with water lines, diagonals, bow or buttock lines, stations, and sometimes details of the hull.
Show More
Compare half-breadth plan, sheer plan.
Origin of body plan
First recorded in 1840–50
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for body plan
Historical Examples
A line cutting the body-plan diagonally from the timbers to the middle line.
The Sailor's Word-BookWilliam Henry Smyth