Bodies or Bodys: Correct Plural, Meaning & Examples

Mean Definition

September 20, 2026

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Bodies or bodys—which one is correct? Bodies is the standard plural of body. Bodys is incorrect when you mean more than one person, animal, object, organization or main section. Because body ends in a consonant followed by y, the plural changes the y to ies.

body → bod + ies → bodies

This spelling is the same in American and British English.

Table of Contents

The Correct Answer at a Glance

Form	Meaning	Example
Body	One body	The body was examined.
Bodies	More than one body	The bodies were examined.
Body’s	Belonging to one body	The body’s temperature changed.
Bodies’	Belonging to multiple bodies	The bodies’ positions were recorded.
Bodys	Incorrect ordinary plural	Do not use this form.

If you only need the plural, use bodies—without an apostrophe.

Why Does Body Become Bodies?

The noun body follows a standard English plural rule. When a singular noun ends in a consonant followed by y, you normally:

Remove the final y.
Add ies.

That gives:

body − y + ies = bodies

The Consonant-Plus-Y Rule

In body, the letter immediately before the final y is d, which is a consonant. Therefore, the y changes to ies.

Singular	Plural
body	bodies
baby	babies
city	cities
country	countries
story	stories
family	families
company	companies
policy	policies

The same pattern applies whether the noun refers to a living thing, an organization or an object.

When Words Ending in Y Simply Add S

Not every word ending in y changes to ies. When a vowel comes immediately before the final y, the plural normally adds s.

Singular	Plural
boy	boys
toy	toys
key	keys
day	days
journey	journeys
monkey	monkeys

The useful test is not merely “Does the word end in y?” Ask:

Does a consonant come immediately before the y?

Yes: change y to ies.
No: usually add s.

What Does Bodies Mean?

Bodies is the plural of body, but body has several meanings. The correct plural remains bodies in each one.

Human and Animal Bodies

A body can mean the complete physical structure of a person or animal.

Exercise affects our bodies in different ways.
The human bodies in the illustration show several muscle groups.
Animals use their bodies to communicate.
Both bodies were protected from the cold.

The word can also refer to a dead person:

Rescue workers recovered two bodies.
The bodies were identified by the authorities.

Because that use can be sensitive, writers should choose respectful wording appropriate to the context.

Organizations and Governing Bodies

A body can be an organized group with a particular responsibility.

Several governing bodies approved the proposal.
Professional bodies establish industry standards.
Legislative bodies create and amend laws.
The two regulatory bodies issued a joint statement.
Student bodies elected new representatives.

Even though no physical human form is intended, the plural is still bodies.

Celestial Bodies

In astronomy, a celestial body is a natural object in space.

Planets, moons and asteroids are celestial bodies.
Scientists observed several distant bodies.
The gravitational pull between the two bodies was measured.

Write celestial bodies, not celestial bodys.

Geometric and Physical Bodies

In mathematics and physics, body can describe a three-dimensional object or physical mass.

The diagram shows two solid bodies.
The force acts between the moving bodies.
These geometric bodies have different volumes.

The specialized meaning does not change the plural spelling.

Email and Document Bodies

The body of an email is its main message, separate from the subject line, headers and attachments.

The system stores subject lines and email bodies separately.
Both message bodies contain HTML.
The templates generate personalized email bodies.

Some technical users wonder whether bodys should be acceptable because body functions as a software label. In normal prose, it is not. The plural remains bodies.

A database column, class name or API property may use a nonstandard identifier chosen by a developer, but that does not change English grammar.

CAD and Three-Dimensional Models

Design and modeling software often uses body for a distinct solid object.

Select both bodies before merging them.
The project contains five separate bodies.
Move the bodies into the new folder.
The software converted the surfaces into solid bodies.

Again, the correct English plural is bodies.

Bodies of Water, Evidence and Knowledge

A body may also mean a substantial collection or mass.

The Great Lakes are major bodies of water.
The investigators reviewed two independent bodies of evidence.
These academic fields contain extensive bodies of knowledge.
The author produced several significant bodies of work.

Although phrases such as bodies of work are grammatically possible, writers often use body of work collectively when discussing everything one person has created.

Body, Bodies, Body’s or Bodies’?

These four forms have different grammatical functions.

Body: Singular

Use body for one person, object, organization or main section.

The human body is complex.
Read the body of the email.
The governing body approved the policy.

Bodies: Plural

Use bodies for two or more.

Human bodies need rest.
Three governing bodies reviewed the matter.
The program processed the email bodies.

Body’s: Singular Possessive

Use body’s when something belongs to or is associated with one body.

The body’s immune response changed.
The body’s position was recorded.
The email body’s formatting was damaged.

The apostrophe comes before s because the owner is singular.

Bodies’: Plural Possessive

Use bodies’ when something belongs to or is associated with multiple bodies.

The bodies’ locations were documented.
The celestial bodies’ movements were tracked.
The organizations coordinated the governing bodies’ decisions.

Because bodies already ends in s, add only an apostrophe for the plural possessive.

Is Bodys Ever Correct?

Bodys is not the standard plural of the common noun body. In ordinary writing, change it to bodies.

However, the letter sequence Bodys could appear as:

A surname or family name
A company or product name
A username
A software variable or database label
A deliberate creative spelling

Those are proper names or technical identifiers, not the standard plural form of body.

Body Types or Bodies Types?

Write body types, not bodies types.

In body types, the noun body modifies the noun types. English nouns used attributively usually remain singular:

body types
body shapes
body measurements
body systems
body temperatures

The main noun carries the plural ending:

one body type
several body types

However, use bodies when it is the main noun:

The two bodies have different shapes.
Different bodies respond differently to exercise.

Correct and Incorrect Examples

Incorrect	Correct
The human bodys were illustrated.	The human bodies were illustrated.
Several governing bodys met today.	Several governing bodies met today.
The program processed three email bodys.	The program processed three email bodies.
Two celestial bodys passed nearby.	Two celestial bodies passed nearby.
The body’s were discovered.	The bodies were discovered.
Our bodies natural response changed.	Our bodies’ natural response changed.

Everyday Examples

Our bodies need water, nutrients and sleep.
The dancers moved their bodies in time with the music.
Children’s bodies continue developing throughout adolescence.
Different bodies may respond differently to the same routine.

Academic Examples

The essay compares two bodies of literature.
Scientists studied the interaction between the physical bodies.
The student bodies participated in the survey.
Several professional bodies publish ethical guidelines.

Workplace Examples

Three regulatory bodies examined the application.
The software extracted text from the message bodies.
Keep formatting consistent across all email bodies.
The design file contains several overlapping bodies.

American and British English

The plural is bodies in every major variety of English.

American English: bodies
British English: bodies
Canadian English: bodies
Australian English: bodies

Bodys is not a regional spelling variant.

How to Pronounce Bodies

Bodies is commonly pronounced:

BAH-deez in American English

Its phonetic representation is approximately /ˈbɑːdiz/ in many American pronunciations.

The ending sounds like -eez, but the spelling is -ies.

LEARN MORE: Tear or Tare

An Easy Way to Remember the Spelling

Remember this short phrase:

Many bodies need many “ies.”

Or rebuild the word:

body − y + ies = bodies

You can also connect it with familiar plurals:

body → bodies
baby → babies
city → cities
story → stories

If body becomes more than one, replace its final y with ies.

A Five-Second Grammar Check

Before using the word, ask two questions.

Question 1: How many?

One: body
More than one: bodies

Question 2: Am I showing possession?

Belonging to one: body’s
Belonging to several: bodies’
No ownership: no apostrophe

This simple check prevents both plural and possessive errors.

Test Your Understanding

Choose the correct form.

The two bodies / bodys were moving toward each other.
The body’s / bodies temperature was measured.
The researchers compared the bodies’ / bodys’ positions.
Three governing bodies / body’s approved the plan.
The program searched several email bodies / bodys.
The store offers clothing for different body types / bodies types.

Answers

bodies
body’s
bodies’
bodies
bodies
body types

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it bodies or bodys?

Bodies is the correct plural. Bodys is incorrect in standard English.

What is the plural of body?

The plural of body is bodies.

Why is the plural bodies instead of bodys?

Because body ends in a consonant followed by y. For the plural, remove the y and add -ies.

How do you spell bodies?

Spell it b-o-d-i-e-s.

Is bodies singular or plural?

Bodies is plural. The singular form is body.

Is bodys a real word?

Bodys is not the standard plural of body. It may appear as a proper name or technical identifier, but ordinary English uses bodies.

What is the difference between bodies and body’s?

Bodies means more than one body. Body’s shows possession by one body.

The bodies were examined.
The body’s temperature was recorded.

What is the plural possessive of body?

The plural possessive is bodies’.

The bodies’ locations were documented.

What is the plural of an email body?

The plural is email bodies.

The system scans all email bodies for prohibited content.

What is the plural of a governing body?

The plural is governing bodies.

Is it celestial bodies or celestial bodys?

Write celestial bodies.

Does every noun ending in y change to ies?

No. The change normally occurs when a consonant comes before the final y. Words with a vowel before y usually add s: boy → boys and key → keys.

Is it body types or bodies types?

Use body types. Here, body modifies the plural noun types.

Is bodies spelled differently in the UK?

No. Bodies is correct in both American and British English.

Final Spelling Reminder

Use bodies when you mean more than one body. Use bodys only if it is intentionally part of a proper name or technical identifier.

BODY − Y + IES = BODIES

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