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Body vs Corpse vs Carcass vs Cadaver

Body, corpse, carcass, cadaver denote the physical organism of a man or animal (especially one of the larger animals).

Body refers to the animal organism, living or dead; but its commonest use is in reference to man, then often implying an opposition to mind or soul.

Corpse and carcass (of man and animal respectively) refer to the dead body.

Carcass is also used as a term of contempt for the human body, dead or alive.

Cadaver (compare cadaverous at HAGGARD) applies to a corpse used for the purpose of dissection in a laboratory. The term is sometimes applied to living men and then suggests extreme emaciation or the appearance of a skeleton.