carcass

noun

car·​cass ˈkär-kəs How to pronounce carcass (audio)
1
: a dead body : corpse
especially : the dressed body of a meat animal
Butchers trimmed the meat from the carcass.
2
: the living, material, or physical body
It was nearly noon when he finally hauled his carcass out of bed.
3
: the decaying or worthless remains of a structure
the carcass of an abandoned automobile
4
: the underlying structure or frame of something (as of a piece of furniture)

Examples of carcass in a Sentence

the rusting carcass of an old truck the carcass of a squirrel that had been run over
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The carcass of the juvenile female whale, measuring almost 47 feet, was found Saturday night along the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail in Anchorage, Anchorage Daily Newsreported Tuesday. Saman Shafiq, USA TODAY, 20 Nov. 2024 Their carcasses formed an artificial bay to protect the city from wind and waves — although Neft Daşları has remained vulnerable to storms and rough water. Laura Paddison, CNN, 6 Nov. 2024 Staff members from the Marine Mammal Stranding Center examine a common dolphin carcass that appears to have been butchered. Antonio Planas, NBC News, 4 Nov. 2024 The Mexican researchers knew from research in other countries that successful detection with these techniques depends, in part, on being able to recognize how carcasses (and their spectral images) change in different soils and climates. Geraldine Castro, WIRED, 1 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for carcass 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English carcays, from Anglo-French carcas, carkeis

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of carcass was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near carcass

Cite this Entry

“Carcass.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carcass. Accessed 6 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

carcass

noun
car·​cass ˈkär-kəs How to pronounce carcass (audio)
: a dead body
especially : the body of a meat animal prepared for market

Medical Definition

carcass

noun
car·​cass ˈkär-kəs How to pronounce carcass (audio)
: a dead body : corpse
especially : the dressed body of a meat animal

More from Merriam-Webster on carcass

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!