adipocere
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
- adipocerous adjective
Etymology
Origin of adipocere
1795–1805; < French adipocire, equivalent to adipo- adipo- + cire wax < Latin cēra; English e by association with cēra; cere 2
Explanation
The other names of adipocere, "grave wax" and "corpse wax," might give you an idea of what it is: This hard, waxy substance is formed in dead bodies under certain special circumstances. Adipocere is formed only when a body is in a wet, oxygen-free environment without any scavengers, such as insects, to break down the tissues. Under these specific conditions, the body's own fat reacts with water in a process that chemically creates a type of soap! That's right: Soap is made by combining fats with other ingredients, including those present in a waterlogged grave. The result is a waxy, off-white or grayish cast of the body — just don't try to wash with it.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The fat had reacted with moisture to create a waxy substance called adipocere, which can protect a body from decay.
From Scientific American • Oct. 28, 2022
Geochemical analysis then revealed the rotting balls were made of tilapia adipocere, a hard, waxy substance that feels slippery, like soap, Simpson said.
From Scientific American • Oct. 30, 2013
In the Salton Sea, tilapia adipocere is tinted orange to brown.
From Scientific American • Oct. 30, 2013
Other postmortem changes, such as adipocere, the decomposition of fat, can preserve the appearance of a body’s soft tissues for years but interfere with an autopsy because it makes the tissue crumbly and chalky.
From Slate • Nov. 5, 2012
The Prairie exists to yield the greatest possible quantity of adipocere.
From The Correspondence of Thomas Carlyle and Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1834-1872, Vol II. by Carlyle, Thomas
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
