decease
Meaning
the death of a person.
to die.
Structure
Usage
the estate was divided following the decease of the patriarch.
the document must be filed within thirty days of the individual's decease.
he decease without leaving a will.
Etymology
the word 'decease' originates from the latin verb 'decedere', which is a compound of the prefix 'de-' (meaning 'away, off') and the verb 'cedere' (meaning 'to go'). its literal sense was 'to go away, to depart'. in medieval latin legal language, 'decessus' (the past participle form) was used as a euphemism for 'departure from life', or death. this specialized legal and formal usage was adopted into middle english via old french 'deces', carrying the abstract meaning of 'departure from life' rather than the physical act of going away, which solidified its modern meaning as a formal term for death.
Analysis
'de-' is a prefix from latin, meaning 'away, off, from'. 'cease' is from latin 'cedere', meaning 'to go, to yield, to stop'.