corpse

noun

1
archaic : a human or animal body whether living or dead
2
a
: a dead body especially of a human being
b
: the remains of something discarded or defunct
the corpses of rusting cars

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Distinguishing Between Core and Corps and Corpse and Corp

These words are frequently confused despite their very different applications. Core and corps both rhyme with more. Core can be a noun, verb, or adjective, but is most often used as a noun to refer to the central or most important part of something (“the core of the issue,” “the Earth’s core”) or to the usually inedible central part of a fruit (“an apple core”). Corps has several meanings, all of which refer to some kind of group: “the Marine Corps,” “the press corps.” Its plural form is also spelled corps (“two corps of reporters”) but is pronounced just as cores is. Unlike in corps, The “p” in corpse and corp is pronounced. Corpse refers to a dead body, and especially to the dead body of a human. Corp is an abbreviation for “corporation” and “corporal.” Corp, corps, and corpse all trace back to the Latin word corpus, meaning “body.” The origin of core is obscure.

Examples of corpse in a Sentence

a battlefield strewn with corpses the startling discovery of a corpse required a call to the police
Recent Examples on the Web The needles are believed to be from the 13th century, and may have been part of a corpse's clothing. Andrea Vacchiano, Fox News, 14 Mar. 2024 Haitians shot dead in the streets and there's no one to take the corpses away The Biden administration spent nearly a year searching for a country to lead the Multinational Security Support mission to Haiti, and wrote the U.N. Security Council resolution that authorized it. Alex Horton, Washington Post, 13 Mar. 2024 When the corpse stirred for the second time, Allan was just coming out of a fog of his last slumber. Hazlitt, 13 Mar. 2024 Over the next couple of days the corpses began rotting in the summer heat, with the killings undiscovered until Rod and Lois’s daughters came to the house and opened the door to a blanketing foulness. Matt Thompson, SPIN, 12 Mar. 2024 No one could touch the corpse until the jurors assembled. Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2024 Two Ohio women have been charged with gross abuse of a corpse after being accused of driving a deceased elderly man to a bank to withdraw money from his account. Brenton Blanchet, Peoplemag, 8 Mar. 2024 Sheldon Johnson, 48, was arrested and charged with murder, manslaughter, criminal possession of a weapon and concealment of a human corpse on Thursday, according to the New York Police Department. Zoe Sottile, CNN, 8 Mar. 2024 Several nearby ranches have loaned out tractors and other heavy equipment needed to pile up and transport the corpses of cattle before they're buried or incinerated. Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 6 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'corpse.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English cors, corps, borrowed from Anglo-French, going back to Latin corpus "body" — more at midriff

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of corpse was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near corpse

Cite this Entry

“Corpse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/corpse. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

corpse

noun
: a dead body
Etymology

Middle English corps "human body," from early French corps (same meaning), from Latin corpus "body"

Medical Definition

corpse

noun
: a dead body especially of a human being

More from Merriam-Webster on corpse

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