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View synonyms for corporal

corporal

1

[ kawr-per-uhl, -pruhl ]

adjective

  1. of the human body; bodily; physical:

    corporal suffering.

    Synonyms: material

  2. Zoology. of the body proper, as distinguished from the head and limbs.
  3. personal:

    corporal possession.

  4. Obsolete. corporeal; belonging to the material world.

corporal

2

[ kawr-per-uhl, -pruhl ]

noun

, Military.
    1. a noncommissioned officer ranking above a private first class in the U.S. Army or lance corporal in the Marines and below a sergeant.
    2. a similar rank in the armed services of other countries.
  2. Corporal, a U.S. surface-to-surface, single-stage ballistic missile.

corporal

3

[ kawr-per-uhl, -pruhl ]

noun

, Ecclesiastical.
  1. a fine cloth, usually of linen, on which the consecrated elements in the Eucharist are placed or with which they are covered.

corporal

1

/ ˈkɔːpərəl; -prəl /

noun

  1. a noncommissioned officer junior to a sergeant in the army, air force, or marines
  2. (in the Royal Navy) a petty officer who assists the master-at-arms

corporal

2

/ -prəl; ˈkɔːpərəl /

adjective

  1. of or relating to the body; bodily
  2. See corporeal
    an obsolete word for corporeal

corporal

3

/ ˈkɔːpərəl; -prəl; ˌkɔːpəˈreɪlɪ /

noun

  1. a white linen cloth on which the bread and wine are placed during the Eucharist

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Derived Forms

  • ˈcorporalˌship, noun
  • ˈcorporally, adverb
  • ˌcorpoˈrality, noun

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Other Words From

  • corpo·rali·ty noun
  • corpo·ral·ly adverb

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Word History and Origins

Origin of corporal1

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English corporal, corporel, from Old French corporal and Latin corporālem, from corporālis “bodily, physical,” equivalent to corpor- (stem of corpus “body” (alive or dead) + -ālis adjective ending; -al 1

Origin of corporal2

First recorded in 1570–80; from Middle French corporal, variant of cap(p)oral (influenced by adjective corporal “bodily”), from Italian caporale, apparently a contraction of the phrase capo corporale “corporal head, bodily head” that is, head of a body (of soldiers); See caput, corporal 1

Origin of corporal3

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English corporal(le), from Medieval Latin corporālis (palla), corporāle (pallium) “eucharistic (altar cloth)”; replacing earlier corporas, corporaus, from Old French corporaus, corporals, from Latin corporālis (palla), as above; pall 1( def ), pallium

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Word History and Origins

Origin of corporal1

C16: from Old French, via Italian, from Latin caput head; perhaps also influenced in Old French by corps body (of men)

Origin of corporal2

C14: from Latin corporālis of the body, from corpus body

Origin of corporal3

C14: from Medieval Latin corporāle pallium eucharistic altar cloth, from Latin corporālis belonging to the body, from corpus body (of Christ)

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Synonym Study

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Example Sentences

Craig Haack was a corporal in the Marines serving in Okinawa, Japan.

In his decision, Chuang wrote that there were “notable disparities” in the test passage rate for the exam that promotes members of the force to police officer first class and corporal.

He graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1951 and enlisted in the Korean War as an Army corporal before returning home to enroll in law school, graduating in 1956.

From Time

From September 2013 to October 2020, Stewart collected nearly $74,000 in medical and educational benefits from the VA by falsely claiming he had been honorably discharged at the rank of Marine corporal.

Student leaders are demanding constitutional reform and new elections, as well as protections for LGBTQ people and an end to corporal punishment in schools.

From Axios

In an act of corporal punishment that we at the Daily Beast do not condone, Joseph grabbed Him by the ear and “pulled hard.”

By the end of his life, the memories of corporal punishment at the hands of his teachers were vivid.

Moreover, corporal punishment has the undesirable quality that the more you use it, the less effective it becomes.

In fact, 19 states, including Texas, still allow corporal punishment in schools.

The marksman, a lance corporal in the Coldstream Guards, was 930 yards from his target when he squeezed the trigger.

The corporal, rather chalky-looking under his tan, stepped forward and laid a hand on MacRae's shoulder.

The guerrillas had hung the body of the corporal from a tree and there it dangled over the road, a gruesome object.

After he was securely bound he was forced to stand while the two, with foul epithets, hung the body of the corporal over the road.

A corporal immediately exclaimed, "I'm too deep already; I am up to the middle."

The bronze seemed to deepen in the corporal's face, but it was turned steadily towards his officer.

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More About Corporal

What does corporal mean?

Corporal means physical, or relating to the physical body.

Sometimes, corporal is about the body specifically- like corporal suffering, or bodily pain. Other times, corporal simply refers to something you are able to touch, like a corporal, or tangible, possession.

While it is frowned upon now, many schools in the United States used to use hitting, spanking, or other forms of corporal punishment to discipline students.

Where does corporal come from?

The first records of corporal come from around 1350. It comes from the Latin corporalis, meaning “bodily.”

There are a few specialized applications of corporal as well. A communion cloth, or the fine linen cloth which Catholic priests place consecrated holy objects on top of or underneath, is sometimes called a corporal. And a corporal is also a name for a military rank– in the U.S., it’s above a private and below a sergeant.

Did you know … ?

What are some other forms related to corporal?

What are some synonyms for corporal?

What are some words that share a root or word element with corporal?

What are some words that often get used in discussing corporal?

What are some words corporal may be commonly confused with?

How is corporal used in real life?

People might use corporal to refer to officers, physical punishment, or other things they can touch. Sometimes corporal is used in a religious sense, where corporal things are a part of this life or our time on Earth, and otherworldly or saintly things are to come.

 

 

Try using corporal!

Which of the following is not corporal?

A. The brain
B. The body
C. The soul
D. The heart

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