carcass
UK[ˈkɑːkəs]US[ˈkɑːrkəs]
n
the dead body of an animal, especially one that is ready to be cut up as meat or eaten by another animal.
n
the remaining structure of something, such as a building or vehicle, that has been badly damaged or destroyed.
Etymology
the word 'carcass' has a journey shrouded in some etymological mystery. it arrived in middle english from anglo-norman french, with forms like 'carcois'. while a plausible link exists to the latin word 'caro', meaning 'flesh', scholars cannot definitively confirm this as the sole source, suggesting possible influence from other mediterranean languages. the term originally referred specifically to the body of a dead animal, a meaning it retains today. over time, its application broadened metaphorically to describe the hollow, skeletal remains of any ruined structure, such as a ship or building, emphasizing its lifeless and decaying state.
Analysis
the word is a simplex form. it entered english as a loanword from anglo-norman and old french, where its form was 'carcois' or 'carcas'. its ultimate origin is uncertain but may be from latin 'caro' (flesh) or a pre-latin mediterranean source.
Examples
vultures were circling above the animal carcass.
the butcher hung the beef carcass in the cold room.
firefighters searched through the burnt-out carcass of the factory.