bodily

1 of 2

adjective

bodi·​ly ˈbä-də-lē How to pronounce bodily (audio)
1
: having a body : physical
2
: of or relating to the body
bodily comfort
bodily organs

bodily

2 of 2

adverb

1
a
: in the flesh
b
: in a manner that involves physically moving someone's body
The blast lifted him bodily into the air.
Jerry Wexler called him a "parasite" and threw him bodily out of his office.Jack Kroll
2
: as a whole : altogether

Examples of bodily in a Sentence

Adjective The victim suffered serious bodily injury. the old man suffered from a number of bodily ailments Adverb The blast lifted him bodily into the air. The house will have to be moved bodily to the new site.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
These women have all been vocal online about the bodily and mental changes that happen during menopause, helping to spread awareness and understanding to millions globally. Jennifer Shanker, Flow Space, 6 Dec. 2024 The report also refers to the staggering number of injuries reported over the course of the war, which Amnesty said meets the UN convention’s criteria of causing serious bodily or mental harm. Nada Bashir, CNN, 4 Dec. 2024
Adverb
Black women like Amber Thurman, a 28-year-old medical student and mother of one, and Candi Miller, a married mother of three, who both died preventable deaths in Georgia following the overturning of Roe, are just two victims of this assault on our rights and bodily autonomy. Jameelah Nasheed, Essence, 6 Nov. 2024 He was charged with unlawful restraint, assault causing bodily injury to a family member, prohibited weapon possession and tampering with evidence, court records show. Amaris Encinas, USA TODAY, 25 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for bodily 

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adverb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of bodily was in the 14th century

Cite this Entry

“Bodily.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bodily. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

bodily

1 of 2 adjective
bodi·​ly ˈbäd-ᵊl-ē How to pronounce bodily (audio)
: of or relating to the body : physical

bodily

2 of 2 adverb
1
: in the flesh : by the body
removed them bodily
2
: as a whole : entirely

Medical Definition

bodily

adjective
bodi·​ly ˈbäd-ᵊl-ē How to pronounce bodily (audio)
: of or relating to the body
bodily organs

More from Merriam-Webster on bodily

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!