deceased

American

[dih-seest] / dɪˈsist /

adjective

no longer living; dead.

noun

the deceased,
1. the particular dead person or persons referred to.
2. dead persons collectively.
  
  to speak well of the deceased.

deceased British

/ dɪˈsiːst /

adjective

1. a more formal word for dead
2. ( as noun )
  
  the deceased

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

See dead.

Other Word Forms

undeceased adjective

Etymology

Origin of deceased

First recorded in 1480–90; decease + -ed ²

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.

A friend of the deceased, in most cases, has no standing to complain about attorney conflicts.

From MarketWatch

Researchers used high-throughput genetic sequencing to analyze archived tissue samples taken from deceased whales.

From Science Daily

The gift tax applies to the wealth transfer over your lifetime and is paid by the donor; an estate tax is levied on the estate of the deceased.

From MarketWatch

Medical schools received hanged criminals and deceased orphans, but demand greatly outstripped supply.

From The Wall Street Journal

Late Sunday, police in Switzerland's Wallis canton said they had identified all of the deceased.

From Barron's

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023