corpse
UK: kɔːps | US: kɔːrps
n. a dead body, especially of a human
The word "corpse" originates from Latin corpus (body), which entered Old French as cors and later Middle English as corps or corpse. The final "-se" spelling emerged in Early Modern English, likely influenced by other words with silent endings (e.g., "horse"). The term specifically narrowed to mean "dead body" by the 14th century, distinguishing it from the living "body" (corpus). The morpheme corp retains its Latin root meaning, while the suffix -se is a phonetic relic.
The archaeologists discovered an ancient corpse buried in the tomb.
A corpse was found near the riverbank, prompting a police investigation.
In horror movies, a corpse often rises as a zombie.
The forensic team examined the corpse for signs of trauma.
The smell led them to the decomposing corpse in the forest.