bodywork
UK[ˈbɒdiwɜːk]US[ˈbɑːdiwɜːrk]
n
the outer shell of a vehicle, such as a car or aircraft.
n
the process or skill of making or repairing the outer shell of a vehicle.
Morpheme Breakdown
body
work
body
main part
work
activity/product
Etymology
the word 'bodywork' is a modern english compound, formed by combining two old english roots. 'body' derives from the old english 'bodig', which originally referred to the physical trunk of a person or animal, a sense that broadened to mean the main, central, or containing part of anything. 'work' comes from old english 'weorc', indicating the product of labor or a constructed object. when combined in the early 20th century with the rise of automobiles, the term logically came to denote the manufactured outer shell or main structure of a vehicle, extending the concept of a 'body' as a container or frame to machines and the 'work' as the product of engineering and repair.
Analysis
Structure: body (main part) + work (activity/product)
body (from old english 'bodig', meaning the trunk of a human or animal, the main part of something). work (from old english 'weorc', meaning something made or done, an activity involving effort or skill).
Examples
the car was in good mechanical condition, but the bodywork was badly rusted.
he specializes in the bodywork of classic sports cars.
after the collision, the vehicle required extensive bodywork repairs.