# corpse

/ˈkɔɹps/ (US) · /kˈɔːps/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/corpse
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. dead body

noun · CEFR B2

the dead body of a person.

For teachers: the deceased body of a human being.

- The police found a corpse in the abandoned house yesterday morning.
- Medical students must learn to treat each corpse with respect during their anatomy dissections.

Usage: In modern usage, 'corpse' almost exclusively refers to humans, while 'carcass' refers to animals.

### 2. to laugh during a performance

verb · CEFR C1 · British English · Informal · Slang

to laugh suddenly when you are acting in a play or film and should be serious.

For teachers: to break character by laughing uncontrollably during a theatrical performance or filming.

- The actor started to corpse during the funeral scene because his co-star made a funny face.
- It is notoriously difficult for comedians to avoid corpsing when their partners begin improvising unexpected lines during a live recording.

Usage: The verb is usually intransitive, though it can be used transitively to mean 'making someone else laugh'.

## Examples

- The police found a corpse in the abandoned building.
- Medical students spend their first year studying a human corpse to learn about anatomy.
- The forensic pathologist examined the corpse for any signs of trauma that might indicate the cause of death before the official report was filed.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.