Etymology

From Latin decedens > decedentem, the present participle decedere to depart, die.

Pronunciation

• IPA: /dsi.dnt/

Noun

decedent (plural decedents)

1. (law, chiefly US) A dead person.
   
   A check of the nightstands revealed large amounts of prescription medication in the decedent's name, the coroner's notes said, according to TMZ.com. - The Herald Sun, Dangerous drug mix' likely killed Brittany, New York Post, December 23, 2009 5:27AM

See also

• deceased

This entry is from Wiktionary - Dictionary and thesaurus. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.