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

The class-action deal covers relatives of people who donated bodies between January 2018 and March 2023, amid uncertainty over which cadavers Lodge plundered before cremation or return to families. — Leah Willingham, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026

The lawsuits allege that in order to use the cadavers for medical research and teaching, Harvard was bound by a set of guidelines. — Saleen Martin, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2026

The former morgue manager, Cedric Lodge, stole organs and other parts of cadavers from 2018 to 2022, according to prosecutors. — Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026

Dostie, who worked with a skilled cadaver dog, had become convinced that there were more bodies buried at Barker Ranch, the Death Valley outpost where the Manson Family fled after the murders. — Elisabeth Garber-Paul, Rolling Stone, 16 Aug. 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