1. the illegal practice of stealing dead bodies from graves or morgues, historically often for sale to medical schools for dissection
Usage: historical; also called grave robbing
2. in science fiction, the replacement of a person's body or mind with an alien or artificial substitute, typically without the person's knowledge
Usage: science fiction; figurative

Examples

• Bodysnatching was a serious crime in 19th-century Britain, driven by the demand for cadavers in medical schools.
• The practice of bodysnatching became so prevalent that families hired guards to watch over graves.
• In the classic science fiction film, bodysnatching by aliens threatens to replace all of humanity.
• The novel explores themes of bodysnatching and loss of identity in a dystopian future.
• Medical schools eventually obtained legal access to cadavers, eliminating the need for bodysnatching.
• The horror story features bodysnatching as a metaphor for losing one's individuality.