deceased
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.no longer alive. You use this word in formal writing or when talking about someone's death with great respect.
adj.no longer living; dead. This term serves as a formal euphemism, typically used in official documents, obituaries, or professional contexts.
Simple“The lawyer asked for a copy of the deceased man's will.”
In context“The detective noted that the deceased individual had no identification on his person at the time the body was discovered.”
UsageOften used as an attributive adjective before a noun like 'person', 'relative', or 'parent'.
- 02 C1 Advanced
n.the person or people who have died.
n.the person or persons who have died. This is a collective or singular noun phrase, often appearing as 'the deceased'.
Simple“The deceased was a well-known doctor in the local community.”
In context“In accordance with the wishes of the deceased, the estate was divided equally among the three surviving charities.”
UsageUsually preceded by the definite article 'the' to function as a noun.
Teacher's tipIn American legal contexts, 'decedent' is often preferred over 'the deceased' for property and inheritance matters.
Synonymsdecedentthe departed - 03 C1 Advanced
adj.a slang way to say you are laughing so hard that you feel 'dead'.
adj.figuratively overwhelmed, typically by amusement or shock. This is a hyperbolic use common in digital communication.
Simple“Did you see his reaction to the prank? I am actually deceased.”
In context“The comedian's latest sketch was so accurate that the entire comment section was filled with people claiming to be deceased.”
Teacher's tipThis is very modern internet slang; it should not be used in any professional or academic writing.
“Sheriff deputies in Delaware County said on Friday that they had found the body of a deceased 58-year-old woman, whom they believe died trying to drive her vehicle through floodwaters.”
“They’re bound by the newly deceased Mary: Robin’s ex, Patch’s mother, and Jude’s aunt – a woman who “[didn’t] have a problem with gay men” but was lukewarm on lesbians.”
From decease + -ed, from Middle English deceas via Old French [Term?], from Latin dēcessus (“departure”), equivalent to dēced-, variation of dēcēdō, dēcēdere (“to go away”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.