corpse

Where does the word "corpse" come from? It comes from Latin corpus, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).

Corpse’s story begins in Latin: corpus meant “body.” The root of 'corporal', 'corporation' and 'corps'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as cors. Carried into French for the physical body, living or dead. It reached English by 1300s as corpse. Settled as the English word for a dead body. Today, corpse means a dead body, especially of a human being.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient corpus "body", the root of 'corporal', 'corporation' and 'corps'.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval cors "the physical body, living or dead", carried into French for the physical body, living or dead.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1300s corpse "a dead body", settled as the English word for a dead body.