physicality

noun phys·i·cal·i·ty \ ˌfi-zə-ˈka-lə-tē \

|Updated on: 7 Aug 2018

Definition of physicality

plural physicalities

1 : intensely physical orientation : predominance of the physical usually at the expense of the mental, spiritual, or social

2 : a physical aspect or quality

Recent Examples of physicality from the Web

And Bryan Fenkart's Pomatter demonstrates a Chaplinesque physicality that's entertaining if out-of-left-field strange.

— tony adler, Chicago Reader, "In the world of Waitress, almost all sins can be forgiven with a song," 11 July 2018
The Flyers signed free-agent defenseman Christian Folin on Thursday, giving them depth and some physicality on the back end.

— sam carchidi, Philly.com, "Flyers sign Christian Folin, a righthanded defenseman," 5 July 2018
Camille’s story, told through Adams’s hesitant physicality—and behind a curtain of long strawberry-blonde hair, so alive its tendrils seem to instinctively curl around her—is one of barely maintained survival.

— sonia saraiya, HWD, "Sharp Objects Is Stunning, Raw, and Violently Beautiful," 5 July 2018
More: The chances a long-suffering nation wins the World Cup is greater than normal Every remaining team has shown a willingness, ramping up the physicality and refusing to be shouldered out of the way of a path to destiny.

— martin rogers, USA TODAY, "The World Cup is getting seriously dirty now," 4 July 2018
Physicians are taught to imagine the physicality of race as a clue to literally prompt suspicion — of disease, of behavior, of background.

— jennifer w. tsai, STAT, "You can’t tell a book by its cover — or a disease by Drake’s race," 11 July 2018
Some, like Smith, directly confront the emotional experience of living in Chicago in their art, while others focus on the physicality of the city.

— morgan smith, chicagotribune.com, "'Chicago Calling: Art Against the Flow' celebrates outsider art, Chicago history," 29 June 2018
Actors Hudson and Beatty start the storytelling rolling with a childlike, free-flowing scene that explores the physicality of gender.

— patti restivo, Howard County Times, "In 'Making Advances,' a staged revolution," 14 June 2018
In short, motherhood for me now is less about the physicality of caring for the young and more about providing support to the grown, less about homework and birthday parties and more about career choices and networking events.

— ana veciana-suarez, miamiherald, "While a mother's role evolves with time, certain parenting aspects remain constant | Miami Herald," 7 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'physicality.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of physicality

1827

in the meaning defined at sense 2

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