verb · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Received-Pronunciation:/ɪmˈbɒdi/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Canada, General-American:/ɪmˈbɑdi/
Canada, General-American:[ɪmˈbɑɾi]
Australian:/ɪmˈbɔdi/
rhymes with -ɒdi
CMU ARPABET:IH0 M B AA1 D IY0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
verb
Meaning 1
To represent in a physical or concrete form; to incarnate or personify.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
As the car salesman approached, wearing a plaid suit and slicked-back hair, he seemed to embody sleaze.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
To represent in some other form, such as a code of laws.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
The US Constitution aimed to embody the ideals of diverse groups of people, from Puritans to Deists.
The principle was recognized by some of the early Greek philosophers who embodied it in their systems.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
To comprise or include as part of a cohesive whole; to be made up of.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
verb
Meaning 4
To unite in a body or mass.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
verb
Meaning 5
represent, as of a character on stage
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
Derek Jacobi was Hamlet
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: be, personify
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: typify, symbolize, symbolise, stand for, represent
He embodies all that is evil wrong with the system
The painting substantiates the feelings of the artist
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: incarnate, body forth, substantiate
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: be
7
verb
Meaning 7
represent or express something abstract in tangible form
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
This painting embodies the feelings of the Romantic period
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: represent
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h1én Proto-Italic *en Proto-Italic *en- Latin in- Old French en-bor. Middle English en- English en- English em- Proto-Indo-European *bhewdh- Proto-West Germanic *bodag Old English bodiġ Middle English bodi English body English embody From em- + body.
Across languages
Translations
60 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
въплъщавам
(vǎplǎštavam)
— represent in a physical form; to incarnate or personify
Bulgarian:
олицетворявам
(olicetvorjavam)
— represent in a physical form; to incarnate or personify
Catalan:
encarnar
— represent in a physical form; to incarnate or personify
Catalan:
personificar
— represent in a physical form; to incarnate or personify
Chinese Mandarin:
體現 /体现
(tǐxiàn)
— represent in a physical form; to incarnate or personify
Chinese Mandarin:
表現 /表现
(biǎoxiàn)
— represent in a physical form; to incarnate or personify
Chinese Mandarin:
表達 /表达
(biǎodá)
— represent in a physical form; to incarnate or personify
Czech:
ztělesňovat
— represent in a physical form; to incarnate or personify
Danish:
legemliggøre
— represent in a physical form; to incarnate or personify
Danish:
personificere
— represent in a physical form; to incarnate or personify
Danish:
udtrykke
— represent in a physical form; to incarnate or personify
Dutch:
belichamen
— represent in a physical form; to incarnate or personify
Esperanto:
enkorpigi
— represent in a physical form; to incarnate or personify
Finnish:
ilmentää
— represent in a physical form; to incarnate or personify
Finnish:
olla jonkin ruumiillistuma
— represent in a physical form; to incarnate or personify
French:
incarner
— represent in a physical form; to incarnate or personify
French:
personnifier
— represent in a physical form; to incarnate or personify
German:
verkörpern
— represent in a physical form; to incarnate or personify
Greek:
ενσαρκώνω
(ensarkóno)
— represent in a physical form; to incarnate or personify
Hebrew:
התגלם
— represent in a physical form; to incarnate or personify
Hungarian:
megtestesít
— represent in a physical form; to incarnate or personify
Italian:
incarnare
— represent in a physical form; to incarnate or personify
Manx:
cochorpaghey
— represent in a physical form; to incarnate or personify
Māori:
whakatinana
— represent in a physical form; to incarnate or personify
Norwegian Bokmål:
kroppsliggjøre
— represent in a physical form; to incarnate or personify
Polish:
wcielić się
— represent in a physical form; to incarnate or personify
Polish:
ucieleśniać się
— represent in a physical form; to incarnate or personify
Portuguese:
incorporar
— represent in a physical form; to incarnate or personify
Portuguese:
encarnar
— represent in a physical form; to incarnate or personify
Portuguese:
personificar
— represent in a physical form; to incarnate or personify
Russian:
воплоща́ть
(voploščátʹ)
— represent in a physical form; to incarnate or personify
Russian:
воплоти́ть
(voplotítʹ)
— represent in a physical form; to incarnate or personify
Russian:
олицетворя́ть
(olicetvorjátʹ)
— represent in a physical form; to incarnate or personify
Russian:
олицетвори́ть
(olicetvorítʹ)
— represent in a physical form; to incarnate or personify
Serbo-Croatian:
utjeloviti
— represent in a physical form; to incarnate or personify
Spanish:
corporeizar
— represent in a physical form; to incarnate or personify
Spanish:
corporizar
— represent in a physical form; to incarnate or personify
Spanish:
corporificar
— represent in a physical form; to incarnate or personify
Swedish:
förkroppsliga
— represent in a physical form; to incarnate or personify
Ukrainian:
утілювати
(utiljuvaty)
— represent in a physical form; to incarnate or personify
Ukrainian:
втілювати
(vtiljuvaty)
— represent in a physical form; to incarnate or personify
Ukrainian:
утілити
(utilyty)
— represent in a physical form; to incarnate or personify
Ukrainian:
втілити
(vtilyty)
— represent in a physical form; to incarnate or personify
Bulgarian:
олицетворявам
(olicetvorjavam)
— include or represent, especially as part of a cohesive whole
Chinese Mandarin:
體現 /体现
(tǐxiàn)
— include or represent, especially as part of a cohesive whole
Chinese Mandarin:
表現 /表现
(biǎoxiàn)
— include or represent, especially as part of a cohesive whole
Chinese Mandarin:
表達 /表达
(biǎodá)
— include or represent, especially as part of a cohesive whole
Czech:
zahrnout
— include or represent, especially as part of a cohesive whole
Danish:
indeholde
— include or represent, especially as part of a cohesive whole
Danish:
rumme
— include or represent, especially as part of a cohesive whole
Dutch:
belichamen
— include or represent, especially as part of a cohesive whole
Finnish:
käsittää
— include or represent, especially as part of a cohesive whole
Finnish:
sisältää
— include or represent, especially as part of a cohesive whole
Finnish:
ilmentää
— include or represent, especially as part of a cohesive whole
French:
représenter
— include or represent, especially as part of a cohesive whole
German:
verkörpern
— include or represent, especially as part of a cohesive whole
Greek:
συσσωματώνω
(syssomatóno)
— include or represent, especially as part of a cohesive whole
Greek:
ενσωματώνω
(ensomatóno)
— include or represent, especially as part of a cohesive whole
Manx:
cochorpaghey
— include or represent, especially as part of a cohesive whole
Russian:
олицетворя́ть
(olicetvorjátʹ)
— include or represent, especially as part of a cohesive whole
