corps

[kawr]

noun

plural

corps 

1. Military.

   1. a military organization consisting of officers and enlisted personnel or of officers alone: corps of cadets.

      the U.S. Marine Corps;

      corps of cadets.

   2. Also called army corps. a military unit of ground combat forces consisting of two or more divisions and other troops.

2. a group of persons associated or acting together.

   the diplomatic corps;

   the press corps.

   Synonyms: band, crew, force, team

3. Printing.,  a Continental designation that, preceded by a number, indicates size of type in Didot points of 0.0148 inch (3.8 millimeters).

   14 corps.

4. Obsolete.,  corpse.

corps

/ kɔː /

noun

1. a military formation that comprises two or more divisions and additional support arms

2. a military body with a specific function

   intelligence corps

   medical corps

3. a body of people associated together

   the diplomatic corps

Word History and Origins

Origin of corps¹

First recorded in 1225–75; Middle English corps, cors, from Middle French, from Latin corpus “body”; corpse

Word History and Origins

Origin of corps¹

C18: from French, from Latin corpus body

Example Sentences

“We have no openings in the corps de ballet, mademoiselle. Or among the principal dancers either, unless you are a prima ballerina assoluta, which, no offense, I think you are not.”

Read more on Literature

But they weren’t corpses as Stadiatis had thought: they were marble and bronze sculptures.

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"Every time I went up to get some air, I saw new corpses in the street, often those of local people I knew," he shuddered.

Read more on Barron's

The Rams have largely shut down three consecutive opponents with a dominant defensive front, a steady linebacker corps and an improving secondary.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“We must march across the corpses of the enemy toward the good of the people.”

Read more on Literature

Related Words

• band 
• body 
• contingent 
• crew 
• detachment 
• division 
• squad 
• squadron 
• troop 
• troupe 
• unit