cadaver

noun

ca·​dav·​er kə-ˈda-vər 

: a dead body

especially : one intended for dissection

cadaveric

kə-ˈdav-rik 

-ˈda-və-

adjective

Synonyms of cadaver

• corpse

Examples of cadaver in a Sentence

medical students who train by using cadavers

Recent Examples on the Web

Radar the cadaver dog detected odor at the sliding glass back door of the former Herbst home. —Peter Van Sant, CBS News, 22 Mar. 2026

The Pima County Sheriff's Department, like many local law enforcement agencies around the country, does not have its own cadaver dogs. —Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 17 Mar. 2026

The series doesn’t shyaway from the gory intricacies of death, including decaying cadavers and the detailed autopsies Kay performs. —Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 10 Mar. 2026

Tim Miner, Branch County Emergency Management Coordinator, said that the county launched multiple recovery assets, including drones and cadaver search. —Isabel Yip, NBC news, 7 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from cadere to fall

First Known Use

circa 1500, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

cadaver

noun

ca·​dav·​er kə-ˈdav-ər 

: a dead body especially of a person : corpse

Medical Definition

cadaver

noun

ca·​dav·​er kə-ˈdav-ər 

plural cadavers also cadavera -ə-rə 

: a dead body

specifically : one intended for use in medical education or research

cadaveric

-(ə-)rik 

adjective