carcass

American  

[kahr-kuhs] / ˈkɑr kəs /

Or carcase

noun

• carcasses
  plural

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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Synonym Usage

See body.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• carcassless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• carcasses
  plural

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

See Examples For:

carcass carcasses

Among the main events is kok-boru, a horseback sport where riders must gain control of a goat carcass and throw it into the opponent's goal.

From Barron's ● Sep. 4, 2026

“We’d have the carcass of Head Start,” Garvin said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2026

Breaking the carcass into smaller portions would make it easier for a calf or juvenile to feed, which is consistent with other known orca behaviors.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 23, 2026

I made my first stock after Thanksgiving, when my mom threw a turkey carcass at me and said, “Use this.”

From Salon ● Jul. 2, 2026

I got up and kicked the snake carcass off the dock.

From "100 Sideways Miles" by Andrew Smith

The results support a recent hypothesis that Neanderthals may have regularly eaten animal carcasses containing fly larvae.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 27, 2026

But in the Kimana reserve, AFP journalists saw six carcasses on Wednesday -- some fresh, others older -- with rangers also observing partial paralysis, preventing the animals from standing.

From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026

Vultures consume dead animals within hours, helping prevent carcasses from becoming breeding grounds for dangerous bacteria and diseases.

From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026

It attracts carrion beetles and flesh flies, which lay their eggs on rotting animal carcasses.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026

Smoke thickened the air, making the herbs that hung from the rafters look like dangling carcasses.

From "Crispin: The Cross of Lead" by Avi

Related Words

• frame
• framework
• hulk
• skeleton
• structure