bodybuilding

American  

[bod-ee-bil-ding] / ˈbɒd iˌbɪl dɪŋ /

Or body-building,

noun

1. the act or practice of exercising, lifting weights, etc., so as to develop the muscles of the body.

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Etymology

Origin of bodybuilding

1900–05; from the verb phrase build ( up one's ) body; see -ing ¹

Example Sentences

And so now with bodybuilding, because my body has protected my soul my whole life, I’m honoring my body now.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

As a youth, Rodríguez Castro spent much of his time at his grandfather’s house enthralled with the macho atmosphere of guns and bodybuilding prevalent in Raúl Castro’s security detail.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

The Austrian-born film star said he could not speak English at the time and "nearly fainted" when he was asked to address the crowd at a bodybuilding event.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026

Last week, the government named senior government official Rumen Spetsov, who was the National Revenue Agency director and is also a former bodybuilding champion, to take control of the refinery.

From Barron's • Nov. 21, 2025

The logo was a cartoon of this giant bodybuilding bulldog wearing wraparound sunglasses and smoking a cigar and flexing his muscles.

From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah