deceased

From decease +‎ -ed, from Middle English deceas via Old French [Term?], from Latin dēcessus (“departure”), equivalent to dēced-, variation of dēcēdō, dēcēdere (“to go away”).

• (UK) IPA^(key): /dɪˈsiːst/
• (US) enPR: dē-sēst', dĭ-sēst' IPA^(key): /diˈsist/, /dɪˈsist/
• (Canada) IPA^(key): /diˈsist/, /dɪˈsist/, /diˈsizd/, /dɪˈsizd/
• (Nigeria) IPA^(key): /dɪˈzizd/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Homophone: diseased (Nigeria)
• Rhymes: -iːst

deceased (not comparable)

1. No longer alive; dead.

   Synonyms: (euphemistic) asleep, (euphemistic) at peace, (euphemistic) at rest, dead, (euphemistic) departed, late, (euphemistic) gone; see also Thesaurus:dead

   • 1969, Monty Python, Dead Parrot Sketch

     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.

   • 1990, Wayne Jancik, The Billboard Book of One-Hit Wonders, →ISBN, page 272:

     Publicity handouts from Dick's long-deceased record label would have us believe that he was born in Cleveland in 1952.

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.
4. (hyperbolic) Overwhelmed to the point of being figuratively dead.

   You look so good, I'm deceased!

   • 2021, Penelope Scott, “7 O'Clock” (track 1), in Hazards, performed by Penelope Scott:

     I am deceased, my nuts have been busted.

   • 2022 June 2, Nick Caruso, “Hacks Season 2 Finale Recap: [Spoiler] Gets Fired, as Deborah's Special Finally Gets Off the Ground — Grade It!”, in TVLine‎^[1], archived from the original on 8 June 2022:

     "So that's it? We're not going to talk anymore? I won't see you?" she asks through tears. "Oh, you'll see me," Deborah replies. "In court!" (OUCH.) Deborah walks away. And I am deceased.

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

deceased (plural deceased or deceaseds)

1. (euphemistic) Synonym of dead (“those who have died”).

   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 US English. In criminal law, “the deceased” refers to the victim of a homicide.
   • 1920, Agatha Christie, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, London: Pan Books, published 1954, page 153:

     Deceased had already made a will in his favour before her marriage, but—and Mr. Philips wagged an expressive forefinger—the prisoner was not aware of that. What had induced the deceased to make a fresh will, with the old one still extant, he could not say.

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

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