corpse

corpse
\ \ [14] Latin corpus ‘body’ has two direct descendants in English: corpse, which came via Old French cors, and corps [18], which came via modern French corps. The former first entered English in the 13th century as cors, and during the 14th century it had its original Latin p reinserted. At first it meant simply ‘body’, but by the end of the 14th century the current sense ‘dead body’ was becoming firmly established.
\ \ The idea originally underlying corps, on the other hand, was of a small ‘body’ of troops.
\ \ Other English derivatives of corpus include corporal, corporate [15], from the past participle of Latin corporāre ‘make into a body’, corpulent [14], two diminutives corpuscle [17] and corset [14], and corsage [15]. Corpus itself was acquired in the 14th century.
\ \ Cf.⇒ CORPORAL, CORPORATE, CORPULENT, CORSET

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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Synonyms:
, (of a human being), , , (used in disrespect)


Look at other dictionaries:

  • Corpse — (k[^o]rps), n. [OF. cors (sometimes written corps), F. corps, L. corpus; akin to AS. hrif womb. See {Midriff}, and cf. {Corse}, {Corselet}, {Corps}, {Cuerpo}.] 1. A human body in general, whether living or dead; sometimes contemptuously. [Obs.]… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • corpse — I noun body, cadaver, carcass, carrion, casualty, corpus, dead body, dead person, deceased, departed, individual, lifeless body, mortal remains, murder victim, organic remains, remains, victim associated concepts: corpus delicti II index body …   Law dictionary

  • corpse — [ko:ps US ko:rps] n [Date: 1300 1400; : French; Origin: corps; CORPS] the dead body of a person = ↑body ▪ The corpse was found by children playing in the woods …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • corpse — [ kɔrps ] noun count * the body of a dead person: They found his corpse a week later, washed up on the shore …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • corpse — 1540s, variant spelling of CORPS (Cf. corps) (q.v.). The p originally was silent, as in French, and with some speakers still is. The terminal e was rare before 19c. Corpse candle is attested from 1690s …   Etymology dictionary

  • corpse — carcass, cadaver, *body Analogous words: remains (see REMAINDER) …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • corpse — [n] dead body body, bones*, cadaver, carcass, carrion, deceased, departed, mort*, remains, stiff*; concepts 390,417 …   New thesaurus

  • corpse — ► NOUN ▪ a dead body, especially of a human. ► VERB theatrical slang ▪ spoil a piece of acting by forgetting one s lines or laughing uncontrollably. ORIGIN Latin corpus …   English terms dictionary

  • corpse — [kôrps] n. [var. of CORPS] 1. a dead body, esp. of a person 2. something once vigorous but now lifeless and of no use 3. Obs. a living body SYN. BODY …   English World dictionary

  • corpse — n. 1) to bury; lay out a corpse 2) to dig up, exhume a corpse 3) a corpse decays, decomposes, rots * * * [kɔːps] decomposes exhume a corpse lay out a corpse rots a corpse decays to bury to dig up …   Combinatory dictionary

  • corpse — noun ADJECTIVE ▪ human ▪ naked ▪ bloody, charred, headless, mangled, mutilated ▪ decaying …   Collocations dictionary

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