body

body · noun, verb¹

1. Proto-Indo-European*bʰewdʰ-der.?
2. Proto-Germanic*budagą
3. Proto-West Germanic*bodag
4. Old Englishbodiġ
5. Middle Englishbodi
6. English todaybody

From Middle English body, bodi, bodiȝ, from Old English bodiġ, bodeġ (“body, trunk, chest, torso, height, stature”), from Proto-West Germanic *bodag (“body, trunk”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰewdʰ- (“to be awake, observe”). Cognate with Old High German botah (“body, corpse, trunk, torso”) (whence Swabian Bottich (“body, torso”), Bavarian Bottich (“body, torso, carcass; lower part of a shirt or jacket”)). See also bodice.

Body · proper noun, proper noun²

1. Middle English · inherited frombode“messenger”
2. Middle English · inherited frombody
3. English todayBody

* As an English surname, from Middle English body, probably a nickname for a corpulent person; and occupational surname from Middle English bode (“messenger”) + -y (diminutive ending). Equivalent to bode (“messenger, herald”) + -y. * As a French surname, variant of Bodin. * As a Hungarian surname Bódy, variant of Bódi, Bodi.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 9th c. The physical structure of a human or animal seen as one single organism.
• from 13th c. The fleshly or corporeal nature of a human, as opposed to the spirit or soul.
• from 13th c. A corpse.
• from 13th c. A murder.
• from 13th c. A person.
• from 9th c. The torso, the main structure of a human or animal frame excluding the extremities (limbs, head, tail).
• from 11th c. The largest or most important part of anything, as distinct from its appendages or accessories; (of vehicles, sometimes) the outer shell (as contrasted with the frame and powertrain).
• from 16th c. The section of a dress extending from the neck to the waist, excluding the arms.