body wave
noun
plural body waves
1
: hair or a hairstyle marked by loose curls of S-shaped waves
also
: a hairstyling process for creating body waves
Permanents, which include body waves, add curl or body to naturally straight or very limp hair. —
Consumer Reports
Consumer Reports 2
: an earthquake vibration transmitted through the earth's interior compare surface wave
Examples of body wave in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
There are two primary types of body waves: P waves (primary) and S waves (secondary).
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
Her iconic body wave braid-out has become a defining look—effortless, which many women look to achieve, but much like her approach to fashion.
—Mecca Pryor, Essence, 17 Oct. 2025
There are numerous perm types including spiral perms, beach wave perms, pin curl perms, body wave perms, and more.
—Marina Johnson, Detroit Free Press, 29 July 2023
The 27 tests generated seismic signals whose ‘body wave’ magnitude ranged from 4.2 to 6.2.
—Mark Fischetti, Scientific American, 1 Nov. 2021
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Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
Her iconic body wave braid-out has become a defining look—effortless, which many women look to achieve, but much like her approach to fashion.
—Mecca Pryor, Essence, 17 Oct. 2025
There are numerous perm types including spiral perms, beach wave perms, pin curl perms, body wave perms, and more.
—Marina Johnson, Detroit Free Press, 29 July 2023
The 27 tests generated seismic signals whose ‘body wave’ magnitude ranged from 4.2 to 6.2.
—Mark Fischetti, Scientific American, 1 Nov. 2021
Cite this Entry
“Body wave.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/body%20wave. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
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