decedent

noun

de·​ce·​dent di-ˈsē-dᵊnt How to pronounce decedent (audio)
Synonyms of decedent
law
: a person who is no longer living : a deceased person
the estate of the decedent

Examples of decedent in a Sentence

a tax on the estate of the decedent
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
At the South Chicago Chapel, none of the remains from South Chicago Chapel had tags listing the decedents' full name and date of birth or other unique identifiers, though some had funeral home or hospital tags. — Casey Toner, CBS News, 27 Aug. 2026 The medical examiner's office is assessing the conditions of the remains and searching for documentation to identify the decedents, including their death certificates, Cook County said. — Luke Barr, ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026 The medical examiner’s office had been notified by Illinois and Chicago officials of decedents being improperly stored, the Cook County government news release said. — Diego Mendoza, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026 Does the location, position, posture and state of the decedent and the people who reported the death make sense? — N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 25 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for decedent

Word History

Etymology

Latin decedent-, decedens, present participle of decedere — see decease

First Known Use

1599, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of decedent was in 1599

Browse Nearby Words

deceased
decedent
deceit
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Decedent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decedent. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

decedent

noun
de·​ce·​dent di-ˈsēd-ᵊnt How to pronounce decedent (audio)
: a deceased person
—used chiefly in law

Medical Definition

decedent

noun
de·​ce·​dent di-ˈsēd-ᵊnt How to pronounce decedent (audio)
: a deceased person
—used chiefly in law

Legal Definition

decedent

noun
de·​ce·​dent di-ˈsēd-ᵊnt How to pronounce decedent (audio)
: a deceased person
the estate of the decedent
Etymology

Latin decedent-, decedens, present participle of decedere to depart, die

More from Merriam-Webster on decedent

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for decedent

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All