Corporeal

Corporeal is an adjective describing things that pertain to the body or are of a tangible, material nature. The term derives from the Latin corpus, meaning body, and is used to contrast physical reality with non-physical or spiritual aspects. In everyday and academic use, corporeal denotes what can be perceived by the senses as a physical object or event.

In philosophy and everyday discourse, corporeal is often used to refer to the visible, tangible components of beings and phenomena. It is commonly contrasted with incorporeal or spiritual aspects, such as minds, souls, or other non-material attributes. The word can describe bodily processes, forms, or manifestations that have a material presence.

In legal contexts, the term appears in the distinction between corporeal property and incorporeal property. Corporeal property encompasses tangible items such as land, buildings, and physical goods, while incorporeal property covers rights and interests that do not have a material form, such as easements, licenses, or intangible rights. Related terms in common law include corporeal hereditaments, which refer to tangible real property, as opposed to incorporeal hereditaments.

In theology and religious studies, corporeal is used to discuss material or physical aspects of the divine or sacred presence, as in discussions of corporeal presence in the Eucharist or the distinction between corporeal and spiritual realities in scholastic thought.

See also: incorporeal. The word is generally reserved for contexts that require a clear distinction between material, physical existence and non-material or immaterial concepts.