decedent
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of decedent
1590–1600; < Latin dēcēdent- (stem of dēcēdēns ) departing, withdrawing, present participle of dēcēdere. See decease, -ent
Explanation
A decedent is someone who has died. Decedents are deceased. Every language has ways to avoid saying the dead guy, and English has two that come from the same root: deceased, a formal and impersonal way of designating one recently departed, and decedent, the version preferred when a lawyer is in the room. Both words are from Latin decedere, meaning "to die." Decedents include all dead people, no matter when they died. Someone who died an hour ago is a decedent as well as someone who died 300 years ago.
Vocabulary lists containing decedent
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.
It seems likely that most of this property was joint property, unless the decedent made beneficiary designations on certain accounts.
From MarketWatch • Dec. 6, 2025
“We are specifically looking to identify the white male adult decedent, who is between the ages of 35 and 40, approximately 6’ and 200# with short brown hair and facial hair,” the statement said.
From Salon • Sep. 2, 2025
In that case, the medical examiner said that even though Rupard suffered from schizophrenia and other disorders, his death was a homicide because “this decedent was dependent on others for his care.”
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 20, 2024
"The team that did the xenotransplant had several theories about why the first decedent was having more issues, but multiomics helped to define the complications, and may be used to counter them moving forward."
From Science Daily • May 21, 2024
Subject to the rights and charges hereinbefore contemplated, the remaining estate of which the decedent died, shall, in the absence of other arrangements by will, descend in equal shares to his children.
From Legal Status of Women in Iowa by Wilson, Jennie L. (Jennie Lansley)
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.
