Bodywork
/ˈbɒd.i.wɜːk/noun
Work performed on the human body, especially therapeutic massage or other manual treatment.
Did you know?In the nineteenth century, bodywork commonly meant constructing a vehicle’s body or coach shell; its therapeutic meaning developed later.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bʰer- / *werg-
“The deep roots associated with carrying or bodily form, and with doing or working; the compound ultimately combines inherited body and work vocabulary.”
Old English
Old English
bodiġ / weorc
“Bodiġ meant the physical body, while weorc meant work, labor, or an accomplished deed.”
Middle English
Middle English
bodi / werk
“Bodi continued to mean the physical human form, and werk referred to labor, activity, or a product of labor.”
19th Century
English
bodywork
“A compound used especially for the construction or repair of the body of a carriage or vehicle.”
20th Century–Modern English
English
bodywork
“Manual treatment of the body, including massage and related therapeutic practices; the automotive sense remains current as well.”