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bodily
/ˈbɒdɪli/
The word 'bodily' is primarily used as an adjective meaning 'relating to the body' or 'having physical form'. It can also be used as an adverb meaning 'in a physical manner'. As an adjective, it often emphasizes the physical aspect of something, contrasting it with the mental or spiritual. For example, 'bodily needs' refers to fundamental physical requirements like food and shelter. As an adverb, it implies a direct, physical action, such as being 'thrown bodily' from a place. It's generally a standard and widely understood word in English.
Meanings
Collocations & Compounds
bodily harm
Physical injury to a person's body.
The contract explicitly forbids causing bodily harm.
bodily fluids
Liquids produced by or found in the body, such as blood or saliva.
Please dispose of bodily fluids safely.
bodily functions
The natural processes carried out by the body, like breathing or digestion.
The medication can affect bodily functions.
bodily needs
The essential physical requirements for survival and well-being.
A baby has many bodily needs.
bodily sensation
A feeling experienced within the body.
He felt a strange bodily sensation.
Idioms & Sayings
bodily and spiritually
Completely; in every aspect, both physically and mentally/emotionally.
She felt healed bodily and spiritually.
Etymology
The word 'bodily' derives from the Old English word 'bodig', meaning 'body'. This word itself has uncertain origins, possibly related to words in other Germanic languages that referred to the trunk of a tree or a human body. Over time, 'bodig' evolved into the modern English 'body'. The suffix '-ly' was added to 'body' to form the adjective 'bodily', indicating something related to or pertaining to the body. Initially, it was used in a more direct sense, referring to the physical body itself. As the language developed, 'bodily' expanded to encompass not just physical attributes but also sensations, actions, and even the abstract concept of having a physical form. Its adverbial form, 'bodily', emerged to describe actions performed with or by the physical body.