Körperliche

Körperliche is a German adjective meaning bodily or physical. It describes attributes or processes related to the body and is widely used in medicine, science, sports, and everyday language. The term can function both attributively, before a noun, and predicatively, after a linking verb.

Inflection and examples: As an attributive adjective, körperliche receives endings to agree with gender, number, and article. Examples include der körperliche Zustand (masculine singular), die körperliche Untersuchung (feminine singular), das körperliche Wohlbefinden (neuter singular), and die körperlichen Merkmale (plural). In everyday usage one also encounters phrases like körperliche Beschwerden (bodily complaints) or körperliche Belastung (physical strain). Predicatively, after verbs like sein or werden, it commonly appears as körperlich, as in Der Patient ist körperlich gesund or Die Arbeit ist körperlich anstrengend.

Etymology and relation to other terms: The word derives from Körper, the German word for body, with the suffix -lich forming an adjective meaning pertaining to or characteristic of. The corresponding adverb is körperlich, used to modify verbs or adjectives, and the related adjective leiblich can carry a similar sense in some contexts, though leiblich often emphasizes the living body rather than physical properties in a scientific sense. In technical contexts, synonyms such as physisch may be used, though it can carry slightly different nuance.

Usage notes: Körperliche is common in medical descriptions, fitness discourse, and discussions of bodily experience. It contrasts with abstrakter or geistig in addressing non-physical aspects, and with physiologisch in strictly scientific contexts. The form shown here—körperliche—covers feminine singular and plural attributive use, while other endings align with standard German adjective declension.