body-surf

[ bod-ee-surf ]

verb (used without object)

1. to ride a cresting wave toward the shore by lying face down in the water with the arms stretched forward in the direction of the wave.

body-surf

verb

1. to ride a wave by lying on it without a surfboard
2. informal.
   to fling oneself prone onto a crowd of people, for example on a dance floor or at a rock concert, and move or be carried over their heads

Derived Forms

• ˈbodyˌsurfing, noun
• ˈbodyˌsurfer, noun

Other Words From

• body-surfer noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of body-surf¹

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

I eventually learned that she had been a fast runner and terrific swimmer as a girl and used to body-surf in fifteen-foot-high ocean waves before she married my dad.

From Los Angeles Times

Jovic said he saw the man catch a wave “which he managed to body-surf all the way in”.

From The Guardian

For him to race around the boundary and body-surf along the boundary marker to turn a potential four from Clarke into a three was spirited, but reckless.

From The Guardian

"If they try to body-surf on that, good night," he muttered; for he knew the swimmer did not live who would tackle it.

From Project Gutenberg