The wood that forms the main structural body or framework of a vehicle, particularly the wooden frame or panels of a car or wagon.
Compound of 'body' and 'wood.' Emerged in the early automotive era (late 1800s-early 1900s) when vehicle bodies were constructed primarily from wooden frames and panels before all-metal construction became standard.
When cars were first invented, they were literally built like carriages—with wooden frames and panels! 'Bodywood' reflects that transitional period when automobiles still used traditional coach-building materials. As steel and metal construction took over, the word became obsolete, a linguistic fossil from the horse-and-buggy era.
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