The body is the physical structure of a living thing. Your body includes everything from your bones and muscles to your skin and organs, all the parts working together that let you move, think, feel, and grow.

Scientists study the human body to understand how its systems work: your heart pumps blood, your lungs pull in oxygen, your brain processes information, and your stomach digests food. Every body is unique. Some people have tall bodies, others short. Some are naturally strong, others flexible. Your body changes throughout your life, growing taller in childhood, getting stronger with exercise, and aging as years pass.

The word also means the main part of something, separate from attachments or extras. The body of an essay is everything between the introduction and conclusion. The body of a guitar is the hollow wooden part where the sound resonates, distinct from the neck and strings. When you talk about a body of water, you mean a lake, ocean, or river. A body of evidence means a collection of proof that supports an idea.

In another sense, body can mean a group working together as one unit, like a student body (all the students at a school) or a governing body (officials who make decisions together). The phrase body and soul means completely and entirely, as in throwing yourself body and soul into something you care about deeply.