French word

carcasse

Pronunciation

IPA/kaʁkas/

Meaning

  • feminine nouncarcass

Example

Les renards ont trouvé la carcasse dans le champ.

The foxes found the carcass in the field.

Illustration for carcasse (carcass)

More examples

La carcasse de la voiture bloquait la route.

The car wreck was blocking the road.

Core concept

A body or object left as an empty outer frame after its vital or useful contents have disappeared.

Common phrases

  • carcasse d'animal

    animal carcass

  • carcasse de voiture

    car wreck

Similar words

cadavre: A deceased person's body, especially for medical or legal examination.
épave: A damaged, abandoned vehicle, ship, or similar wreck.
squelette: A body's remaining bone structure after the flesh is gone.

Definition in French

Restes d'un organisme mort, en particulier d'un animal ; par extension, structure externe ou éléments subsistants d'un objet détruit.

Word origin

French carcasse comes through Middle French from Italian carcassa, while its deeper origin remains uncertain.

Usage tips

  • Carcasse is feminine, so the usual article is la or une, and it commonly refers to animals or ruined objects rather than a person's remains.

Other meanings

  • wreckagenoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word