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

Their test subject was reportedly a moose cadaver. — Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 18 June 2026

Lamb Avgerinos, a 33-year-old dog handler, drove 18 hours from Georgia with four of his cadaver dogs piled into his truck. — Karen Valby, Vanity Fair, 16 June 2026

Scientists identified one of the modern cadavers as a minke whale, or Balaenoptera acutorostrata, that measured about 10 feet (3 meters) long. — Mindy Weisberger, CNN Money, 12 June 2026

Once a donated cadaver can no longer be used by UCSD, the remains are cremated and scattered or interred in a manner consistent with state law, the university says. — Ashley MacKin Solomon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 June 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