carcass

American  

[kahr-kuhs] / ˈkɑr kəs /

Or carcase

noun

1. the dead body of an animal.

2. Slang. the body of a human being, whether living or dead.

3. the body of a slaughtered animal after removal of the offal.

4. anything from which life and power are gone.

   The mining town, now a mere carcass, is a reminder of a past era.

5. an unfinished framework or skeleton, as of a house or ship.

6. the body of a furniture piece designed for storage, as a chest of drawers or wardrobe, without the drawers, doors, hardware, etc.

7. the inner body of a pneumatic tire, resisting by its tensile strength the pressure of the air within the tire, and protected by the tread and other parts.

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verb (used with object)

1. to erect the framework for (a building, ship, etc.).

carcass British  

/ ˈkɑːkəs /

noun

1. the dead body of an animal, esp one that has been slaughtered for food, with the head, limbs, and entrails removed

2. informal a person's body

3. the skeleton or framework of a structure

4. the remains of anything when its life or vitality is gone; shell

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Related Words

See body.

Other Word Forms

• carcassless
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of carcass

First recorded in 1250–1300; from Middle French carcasse, from Italian carcassa; replacing Middle English carkeis, carkois, from Anglo-French, corresponding to Medieval Latin carcosium; ultimately origin obscure

Explanation

In the aftermath of Thanksgiving, after turkey sandwiches and turkey noodle soup and picking all the meat off, you're left with nothing more than turkey bones — or the carcass of your holiday bird. The gruesome word carcass is often used to describe the remains of a dead animal, especially one that's been slaughtered for food. But if that makes you squeamish, you can think of carcasses in a more figurative light, because a carcass could also mean "the inner structure of something." The carcass of an old burned out building, for example, refers to its remaining walls and beams. Or think of the carcass of the couch, its inner foundation, which is supporting your rear right now.

Example Sentences

A whale carcass was reportedly spotted on Thursday off the Danish island of Anholt, located between Denmark and Sweden.

From BBC • May 16, 2026

But the precise nature of the spear and the carcass are never directly investigated, and a surprising number of pages go by in which they are barely mentioned.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 30, 2026

"We have not seen one single carcass of any animal," Aucamp said.

From Barron's • Jan. 22, 2026

Mr Chandra shared with the BBC pictures he took of the carcass, some of which show him with the dead animal.

From BBC • Dec. 11, 2025

“Boiled,” a small word, meant twenty minutes over a roaring fire on a stove that resembled the rusted carcass of an Oldsmobile.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver

Related Words

• frame
• framework
• hulk
• skeleton
• structure