Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Cadaver


Ca-da′ver

(kȧ-dă′vẽr; kȧ-dā′vẽr)
,
Noun.
[L., fr
cadere
to fall.]
A dead human body; a corpse.

Webster 1828 Edition


Cadaver

CADAVER

,
Noun.
A corpse.

Definition 2024


Cadaver

Cadaver

See also: cadaver, cadáver, and cadàver

German

Noun

Cadaver m (genitive Cadavers, plural Cadaver)

  1. Obsolete spelling of Kadaver which was deprecated in 1902 following the Second Orthographic Conference of 1901.

cadaver

cadaver

See also: Cadaver, cadáver, and cadàver

English

Noun

cadaver (plural cadavers)

  1. A dead body; especially the corpse of a human to be dissected.

Synonyms

  • See also Wikisaurus:corpse, Wikisaurus:body
  • body
  • corpse

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

References


Latin

Etymology

From the Latin verb cadō (I fall), as a euphemism for dying, "the fallen one". This etymology is found as early as ca. 200 CE in the writings of Tertullian, who associated cadaver to cadendo : Atque adeo caro est quae morte subruitur, ut exinde a cadendo cadaver enuntietur. (Tertullian, De Resurrectione Carnis).

A folk etymology derives cadaver syllabically from the Latin expression caro data vermibus (flesh given to worms). This etymology, more popular in Romance countries, can be traced back as early as the Schoolmen of the Middle Ages.

Pronunciation

Noun

cadāver n (genitive cadāveris); third declension

  1. A corpse, cadaver, carcass

Derived terms

Inflection

Third declension neuter.

Case Singular Plural
nominative cadāver cadāvera
genitive cadāveris cadāverum
dative cadāverī cadāveribus
accusative cadāver cadāvera
ablative cadāvere cadāveribus
vocative cadāver cadāvera

References