corpse

noun

ˈkȯrps 

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

Did you know?

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.

Synonyms

• bones
• cadaver
• carcass
• corpus
• corse [archaic]
• relics
• remains
• stiff

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 scene is absurd to the point of funny—four men in tight quarters with an exposed corpse and yet affably disinterested. —Diana Arterian june 16, Literary Hub, 16 June 2025

One, set in a natural history museum, involves fossils; there’s a locked room mystery (with a mystery writer for a victim), which delights Patience, an Agatha Christie fan, and there’s a corpse that seemingly walks off a table in the morgue. —Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2025

The Denver District Attorney’s Office announced in a Monday, June 9 press release that Miles Harford, 34, received his sentence after pleading guilty in April to one felony count of abuse of a corpse and one misdemeanor count of theft. —Gabrielle Rockson, People.com, 12 June 2025

Harford pleaded guilty in April to charges of abusing a corpse and theft as part of a plea deal. —Danielle Kreutter, Denver Post, 10 June 2025

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

Phrases Containing corpse

• corpse flower
• corpse plant
• corpse pose

Rhymes for corpse

• warps

Kids Definition

corpse

noun

ˈkȯ(ə)rps 

: a dead body

Etymology

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

Medical Definition

corpse

noun

ˈkȯ(ə)rps 

: a dead body especially of a human being