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. => CORPORAL, CORPORATE, CORPULENT, CORSET
* * *
   The word has its origin in Latin corpus, 'body.' It was originally used of a living body or person, hence such biblical passages as 'Behold, they were all dead corpses' (2 Kings 19:35). The same Latin word gave corps (body of soldiers) and corpus (body of writings).

The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins. 2013.

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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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