carcass

noun

car·​cass ˈkär-kəs 

1

: a dead body : corpse

especially : the dressed body of a meat animal

Butchers trimmed the meat from the carcass.

2

: the living, material, or physical body

It was nearly noon when he finally hauled his carcass out of bed.

3

: the decaying or worthless remains of a structure

the carcass of an abandoned automobile

4

: the underlying structure or frame of something (as of a piece of furniture)

Synonyms

• bones
• cadaver
• corpse
• corpus
• corse [archaic]
• relics
• remains
• stiff

Examples of carcass in a Sentence

the rusting carcass of an old truck

the carcass of a squirrel that had been run over

Recent Examples on the Web

The 15-foot carcass was covered in bite wounds and stripped of its internal organs, leaving locals and scientists with the same question: What on Earth could have killed it? —Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2025

Although the carcasses of many holiday evergreens are discarded with trash bags, others often find a useful, sustainable second life. —Amelia Nierenberg, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2025

The carcass was in remarkably good condition and appeared in a region of New Zealand that allowed researchers to perform the first-ever dissection of the species. —Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Dec. 2024

Alongside the escalators and signs for the now-defunct movie theater in the carcass of what was once L.A.’s premiere shopping mall, dozens of government agencies have gathered to offer fire aid. —Julia Wick, Los Angeles Times, 15 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English carcays, from Anglo-French carcas, carkeis

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

carcass

noun

car·​cass ˈkär-kəs 

: a dead body

especially : the body of a meat animal prepared for market

Medical Definition

carcass

noun

car·​cass ˈkär-kəs 

: a dead body : corpse

especially : the dressed body of a meat animal