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deceased

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

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Etymology

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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”).

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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deceased (not comparable)

  1. No longer alive; dead.
    Synonyms: (euphemistic) asleep, (euphemistic) at peace, (euphemistic) at rest, dead, (euphemistic) departed, late, (euphemistic) gone; see also Thesaurus:dead
    • 1969, Monty Python, Dead Parrot Sketch
      That parrot is definitely deceased, and when I purchased it not 'alf an hour ago, you assured me that its total lack of movement was due to it bein' tired and shagged out following a prolonged squawk.
    • 1990, Wayne Jancik, The Billboard Book of One-Hit Wonders, →ISBN, page 272:
      Publicity handouts from Dick's long-deceased record label would have us believe that he was born in Cleveland in 1952.
  2. Belonging to the dead.
    The executor's commission for winding up the deceased estate was 3.5%.
  3. (law) One who has died. In property law, the alternate term decedent is generally used. In criminal law, "the deceased" refers to the victim of a homicide.
  4. (hyperbolic) Overwhelmed to the point of being figuratively dead.
    You look so good, I'm deceased!
    • 2021, Penelope Scott (lyrics and music), “7 O'Clock” (track 1), in Hazards, performed by Penelope Scott:
      I am deceased, my nuts have been busted.
    • 2022 June 2, Nick Caruso, “Hacks Season 2 Finale Recap: [Spoiler] Gets Fired, as Deborah's Special Finally Gets Off the Ground — Grade It!”, in TVLine‎[1], archived from the original on June 8, 2022:
      "So that's it? We're not going to talk anymore? I won't see you?" she asks through tears. "Oh, you'll see me," Deborah replies. "In court!" (OUCH.) Deborah walks away. And I am deceased.

Usage notes

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  • Not to be confused with diseased (affected with or suffering from disease).

Derived terms

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Translations

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Noun

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deceased (plural deceased or deceaseds)

  1. (euphemistic) Synonym of dead (“those who have died”).
    The deceased was interred in his local churchyard.
    a memorial to the deceased of two World Wars
  2. (law) One who has died. In property law, the alternate term decedent is generally used in US English. In criminal law, “the deceased” refers to the victim of a homicide.

Usage notes

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Deceased or decedent is commonly used in legal and journalistic settings. Departed is most commonly used in religious settings.

Synonyms

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Translations

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