dead
UK[dɛd]US[dɛd]
adj
No longer alive
adj
No longer used, active, or functioning
adj
Complete or absolute
Etymology
The word 'dead' originates from the Old English 'dēad', which meant "lifeless, deceased." This Old English term evolved from the Proto-Germanic 'daudaz', a common ancestor for similar words across Germanic languages, such as Old Norse 'dauðr', Old Frisian 'dād', and Gothic 'dauþs'. The Proto-Germanic form is further traced back to the Proto-Indo-European root 'dheu-', meaning "to die," which also gave rise to words like 'die' and 'death'. The semantic journey is direct, from the ancient concept of cessation of life to its modern meanings encompassing inactivity and finality.
Analysis
The word is a simplex form derived from Old English 'dēad', an adjective. It is not productively composed of smaller, separable morphemes in modern English.
Examples
The archaeologists discovered dead insects preserved in amber.
The battery is dead and needs to be replaced.
There was a dead silence after he finished speaking.