body woman: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowSpecialized, Journalistic, Informal
Quick answer
What does “body woman” mean?
A female personal security officer responsible for protecting an individual (client) from physical harm, assassination, kidnapping, stalking, or harassment.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A female personal security officer responsible for protecting an individual (client) from physical harm, assassination, kidnapping, stalking, or harassment.
The term can be used humorously or informally to refer to a close female companion who provides support and protection in non-physical contexts (e.g., social, professional). In some contexts, 'body woman' is used to refer to a dedicated personal assistant to a high-profile woman, who is often seen physically alongside her.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning. The term is understood in both, though less common than 'female bodyguard' or 'close protection officer'.
Connotations
In the UK, may be slightly more associated with royal or political protection details. In the US, perhaps more associated with celebrity security.
Frequency
Low frequency in both. 'Bodyguard' remains the overwhelmingly dominant term, with gender specified adjectivally if needed.
Grammar
How to Use “body woman” in a Sentence
She works as a body woman for [CLIENT].The VIP's body woman scanned the crowd.[CLIENT] is accompanied by her body woman.Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in the context of executive protection services.
Academic
Rare, potentially in security studies or criminology.
Everyday
Very rare. Most people would say 'female bodyguard'.
Technical
Used in security and close protection industry parlance to specify gender of the operative.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “body woman”
- Using 'bodyguard woman' (redundant).
- Using 'bodywoman' as one word (occurs but 'body woman' is standard).
- Assuming it's an informal term for a fitness trainer.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but it specifies the gender of the security professional. It is a female bodyguard.
It is descriptive and professional within the security industry. Some may prefer gender-neutral terms like 'close protection officer' (CPO), but 'body woman' is not generally considered offensive.
No, the term is inherently gender-specific. A man in the same role is a 'bodyguard' or 'close protection officer'.
It is not as common as 'bodyguard' or 'close protection officer'. It is more likely to be used in journalism or descriptive contexts rather than as an official job title on a contract.
A female personal security officer responsible for protecting an individual (client) from physical harm, assassination, kidnapping, stalking, or harassment.
Body woman is usually specialized, journalistic, informal in register.
Body woman: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbɒdi ˌwʊmən/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbɑːdi ˌwʊmən/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the famous Whitney Houston song 'I Will Always Love You' from *The Bodyguard*. A 'body woman' is specifically the female version of that role.
Conceptual Metaphor
PROTECTION IS A SHIELD; THE BODY IS A FORTRESS (the 'body' in 'body woman' is about protecting the client's physical body).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the term 'body woman' most accurately used?