bodily

1 of 2

adjective

bodi·​ly ˈbä-də-lē 

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

Synonyms

Adjective

• physical

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

Adjective

Sara and Brian were arrested and charged with child neglect without great bodily harm, according to the WCSO. —Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 19 Oct. 2025

The unidentified 14-year-old student was charged with assault and battery causing serious bodily injury and arraigned Thursday in Fall River Juvenile Court. —Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2025

Adverb

Idaho lawmakers and advocates have stressed that their goals are bodily autonomy and informed choice. —Audrey Dutton, ProPublica, 20 Oct. 2025

Research shows that engaging the senses fosters bodily awareness, which helps regulate stress. —Juli Fraga, Time, 23 Sep. 2025

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

Rhymes for bodily

• caudally

Kids Definition

bodily

1 of 2 adjective

bodi·​ly ˈbäd-ᵊl-ē 

: 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 

: of or relating to the body

bodily organs