decedent
noun
de·ce·dent
di-ˈsē-dᵊnt
law
: a person who is no longer living : a deceased person
the estate of the decedent
Examples of decedent in a Sentence
a tax on the estate of the decedent
Recent Examples on the Web
Historians also believe that the decedents may have been part of the same Viking family.
—Andrea Margolis, Fox News, 8 Jan. 2025
The alternate valuation date, established under Section 2032 of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), allows the executor of an estate to value the estate’s assets as of six months after the decedent’s death instead of using the date of death.
—Ashley Case, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2024
You were found behind the vehicle where the decedent was.
—Peter Van Sant, CBS News, 4 Jan. 2025
The percentage of decedents unclaimed in Maryland, one of few states that maintains such records, was 2.1% in 2000 and 4.5% in 2021, the book notes.
—Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 15 Dec. 2024
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Word History
Dictionary Entries Near decedent
Cite this Entry
“Decedent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decedent. Accessed 27 Jan. 2025.
Kids Definition
decedent
noun
de·ce·dent
di-ˈsēd-ᵊnt
: a deceased person
—used chiefly in law
Medical Definition
decedent
noun
de·ce·dent
di-ˈsēd-ᵊnt
: a deceased person
—used chiefly in law
Legal Definition
decedent
noun
de·ce·dent
di-ˈsēd-ᵊnt
: a deceased person
the estate of the decedent
Etymology
Latin decedent-, decedens, present participle of decedere to depart, die
More from Merriam-Webster on decedent
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for decedent
Britannica English: Translation of decedent for Arabic Speakers
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