anybody

[ en-ee-bod-ee, -buhd-ee ]

pronoun

1. any person.

noun

, plural an·y·bod·ies.

1. a person of some importance:

   If you're anybody, you'll receive an invitation.

anybody

/ ˈɛnɪˌbɒdɪ; -bədɪ /

pronoun

1. any person; anyone
2. usually used with a negative or a question a person of any importance

   he isn't anybody in this town

noun

1. often preceded by just any person at random; no matter who

Usage Note

See each, they ( def ).

Spelling Note

The pronoun anybody is always written as one word: Is anybody home? There isn't anybody in the office. The two-word noun phrase any body means “any group” ( Any body of students will include a few dissidents ) or “any physical body” ( The search continued for a week despite the failure to find any body ). If the word a can be substituted for any without seriously affecting the meaning, the two-word noun phrase is called for: a body of students; failure to find a body. If the substitution cannot be made, the spelling is anybody. Anybody is less formal than anyone. anyone.

Word History and Origins

Origin of anybody¹

First recorded in 1250–1300, anybody is from Middle English ani bodi. See any, body

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. anybody's guess, a matter of conjecture:

   It's anybody's guess why she quit.

Example Sentences

Anybody in the federal bureaucracy who is not elected … if your Social Security number ends in an odd number, you’re out.

From Slate

“We don’t want boom and bust, where one year we’re up, the next year we’re down. That doesn’t help anybody.”

From BBC

“Dolours and Marian were kind of I.R.A. nepo babies. If anybody’s gonna be the first woman who gets a better opportunity than anybody else, it’s going to be be Albert Price’s daughters.”

From Los Angeles Times

The Rams were embarrassed against the Dolphins and should be able to bounce back, though they aren’t blowing out anybody.

From Los Angeles Times

Anybody who stood up for what most certainly is good and right and decent should be plenty proud of themselves right now.

From Salon

Related Words

• anyone
• everybody
• everyone
• public