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corporal
/ˈkɔː.pɜ.ɹəl/
As an adjective, the word evokes a clinical or physical sense of existence. It distinguishes the tangible, biological body from the mind, spirit, or legal entity. While 'physical' is more common in daily speech, 'corporal' often appears in formal, medical, or legal contexts. In the context of 'corporal punishment,' it carries a heavy, historical weight associated with discipline and pain inflicted directly on the flesh. As a noun, it denotes a specific level of authority—the first step into leadership for an enlisted soldier. It represents a bridge between the rank-and-file and higher non-commissioned officers.
Refers to a specific person holding the military rank; you can have one corporal or a squad of ten corporals.
Meanings
Collocations & Compounds
corporal punishment
Physical punishment that involves hitting someone.
The school banned corporal punishment.
corporal works of mercy
In Catholic tradition, acts of physical charity towards those in need.
Feeding the hungry is one of the corporal works of mercy.
corporal identity
A person's sense of self related to their physical body.
The therapy focused on her corporal identity.
corporal and spiritual
Pertaining to both the physical body and the non-physical aspects of a person.
They offered both corporal and spiritual comfort.
Idioms & Sayings
corporal works of mercy
Seven acts of basic charity that help the poor and suffering.
He dedicated his life to the corporal works of mercy.
Etymology
The word 'corporal' has a fascinating dual origin, stemming from both military rank and a physical sense. As a military rank, it derives from the Old French 'caporal', which itself came from the Italian 'caporale'. The Italian term meant 'head of a group of ten soldiers', and it ultimately traces back to the Latin word 'caput', meaning 'head'. This connection to 'head' is key to understanding its hierarchical military meaning. The adjective 'corporal', meaning 'relating to the body', comes directly from the Latin word 'corporalis', meaning 'of the body'. This, in turn, is derived from 'corpus', the Latin word for 'body'. The two meanings, while sharing a Latin root ('corpus' for the adjective, and 'caput' from 'corpus' for the noun's ultimate origin), evolved separately to denote distinct concepts: a military position and a physical attribute.