English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology
FreeDict.com
adj

bodily

BO-dih-lee
adj
1
Relating to or concerning the physical body, rather than the mind or spirit.
"The injury caused severe bodily harm."
"He described the bodily sensations of fear — sweating, a racing heart, tense muscles."
adv
1
As a whole physical unit; entirely, with the whole body at once.
"Security guards carried the protester bodily out of the building."

How to Use Bodily

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo do with the physical body — or, as an adverb, moving something as a whole physical mass.

Common mistake

In legal and medical contexts "bodily harm" specifically means physical injury, distinct from emotional or financial harm.

Common pairings
bodily harm bodily functions carried bodily

Word Forms

more bodily comparative, Bodilys plural, most bodily superlative

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “bodily” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage

Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

The injury caused severe _____ harm.

Etymology

From Middle English bodily, built from body plus the suffix -ly.

Related Words

Rhymes for bodily

See all rhymes for bodily →

People Also Searched

Definitions: FreeDict original editorial