WordGarden.iocorporeal
B2Pronunciation
UK
- /kˈɔːpɔːrˌiəl/
US
Meanings
Adjective
relating to the body or bodily existence
having physical or material form rather than being spiritual or abstract
in law, tangible rather than intangible, especially of property
Beyond the definition
While your spirit might feel free as a bird, corporeal refers to things that are physical—things with a body or a solid form. It's about what you can touch, see, and feel through your senses. Think of it like this: ghosts aren't corporeal, but you certainly are. The word often comes up when people contrast the physical world with the spiritual or mental one. A writer might explore how our corporeal lives connect to our inner thoughts.
The root comes from the Latin corpus, meaning "body." So if something is described as corporeal, it's firmly rooted in the material world. You might describe a powerful hug as a deeply corporeal experience—one that you truly feel.
The word corporeal describes anything that has a physical body or material form, as opposed to something purely spiritual or mental. It emphasizes tangibility and physicality—something that occupies space and can be perceived by the senses. While we often talk about ideas being "immaterial," things like hunger, pain, and even a warm embrace are decidedly corporeal.
Historically, corporeal was frequently used in religious contexts to distinguish between the physical body and the soul. Medieval theologians debated whether angels were truly corporeal beings or purely spiritual entities.
Today, it's less common in everyday conversation but still appears in literature, philosophy, and formal writing when a clear distinction needs to be made between the physical and non-physical realms. You might read about a character struggling with their corporeal limitations—the aches and pains of aging, for example. Or a writer might describe a dream as an escape from the burdens of corporeal existence.
It can also be used in a slightly archaic or poetic way to emphasize physical presence. Describing a dancer's performance as "deeply corporeal" highlights their mastery over the body and its presence in space.
So, if you're talking about anything that has form, substance, and occupies physical space—anything you can touch, see, or feel—you're dealing with the corporeal world.
Examples
- 1
Spirit form
In the story, the spirit could speak but had no corporeal form.
- 2
Body and soul
Many religious traditions draw a distinction between the soul and the corporeal body.
- 3
In-person presence
After years of remote meetings, seeing her manager in person gave him a new sense of her corporeal presence.
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
Contrast
Do not confuse
Used with (collocations)
- corporeal form
- corporeal body
- corporeal presence
Word family
- corporeality
- incorporeality
Explore
- embodiment
- mind-body dualism
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- corporealadjective