English

Adjective

deceased ‎(not comparable)

1. No longer alive, dead
   • That parrot is definitely deceased, and when I purchased it not ’alf an hour ago, you assured me that its total lack of movement was due to it bein’ tired and shagged out following a prolonged squawk. Monty Python
2. Belonging to the dead.
   • The executor’s commission for winding up the deceased estate was 3.5%.
3. (law) One who has died. In property law, the alternate term decedent is generally used. In criminal law, “the deceased” refers to the victim of a homicide.

Synonyms

• (no longer alive): asleep (euphemistic), at peace (euphemistic), at rest (euphemistic), dead, departed (euphemistic), late, gone (euphemistic)

Usage notes

• Not to be confused with diseased (affected with or suffering from disease).

Translations

Noun

deceased ‎(plural deceased or deceaseds)

1. A dead person.

   The deceased was interred in his local churchyard.

   a memorial to the deceased of two World Wars

2. (law) One who has died. In property law, the alternate term decedent is generally used. In criminal law, “the deceased” refers to the victim of a homicide.

Synonyms

• (dead person): dead person, dead soul, deceased person, decedent, departed, late
• (plural: dead people): dead people, dead souls, deceased people, decedents, departed

Usage notes

Deceased is commonly used in legal and journalistic settings. Departed is most commonly used in religious settings.

Translations