cadaver
Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary
Contents |
[edit] English
[edit] Etymology
Recorded since c.1500, from Latin cadāver, probably from cadō (“‘I fall’”) as a metaphor for "I die", also source (through comb. form -cida) of the -cide in suicide, homicide etc.
[edit] Pronunciation
[edit] Hyphenation
ca-dav-er
[edit] Noun
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Singular |
Plural |
cadaver (plural cadavers)
- A dead body; especially the corpse of a human to be dissected.
[edit] Synonyms
[edit] Derived terms
[edit] Translations
[edit] Latin
[edit] Etymology
The etymology is uncertain, but it is presumed to be derived from the Latin verb cadō (“‘I fall’”), as a euphemism for dying. This etymology is found as early as ca. AD 200 in the writings of Tertullian, who associated cadaver to cadendo. However, it does not account for the "-ver" ending of the word. (*Citation also needed for a reference in Oxford Dictionary.)
There is another etymology, which derives cadaver syllabically from the Latin expression caro data vermibus. This etymology, more popular in Romance countries, can be traced back as early as the Schoolmen of the Middle Ages, but it suffers from lack of ancient attestation.
[edit] Pronunciation
| IPA | SAMPA | |
|---|---|---|
| Classical | /kaˈdaːver/ | /ka"da:ver/ |
| Ecclesiastical | /kaˈdaver/ | /ka"daver/ |
[edit] Noun
cadāver (genitive cadāveris); n, third declension
[edit] Derived terms
- cadāverōsus (seemingly dead)
[edit] References
- Tertullian. On the Resurrection of the Flesh. Chapter 18.
Quote: “So that it is the flesh which falls by death; and accordingly it derives its name, cadaver, from cadendo.” [1]
