body snatcher

noun

1. a person who steals corpses; graverobber.
2. Slang. an agency that recruits executives working for one company to fill top management positions in another.

body snatcher

noun

1. (formerly) a person who robbed graves and sold the corpses for dissection

Derived Forms

• body snatching, noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of body snatcher¹

First recorded in 1805–15

Example Sentences

“If I asked for decaf or, heaven forbid, to put anything in my coffee — cream or any sweetener — they would know for sure that a body snatcher had taken over my body,” wrote Claudia.

From Washington Post

The bass singer had made an immense hit with his song of "The Body Snatcher," and the town rushed to listen to it.

From Project Gutenberg

What do I care whether our hero's grandfather was Archbishop of Canterbury or a professional body-snatcher?

From Project Gutenberg

Bishop had been a body-snatcher for twelve years, and he had during that time obtained and sold over five hundred bodies.

From Project Gutenberg

"Oh, 'tis only a little bit of a dead body-snatcher," said one of the guardians.

From Project Gutenberg

He describes graves with the minuteness of a body-snatcher; and when he would be impressive is disgusting.

From Project Gutenberg