01
der Kadaver
carcass
The dead body of an animal.
example
Am Straßenrand lag der Kadaver eines Rehs.
The carcass of a deer lay by the side of the road.
der Kadaver
carcass
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Common mistake
Never use 'Kadaver' (carcass) for a human body unless you want to express extreme contempt and disrespect. In this context, it is a strongly derogatory and dehumanizing term.
EXAMPLE
Die Ermittler sprachen von der Leiche, nicht vom Kadaver.
The investigators spoke of the body, not the carcass.
Register: Neutral to technical
When referring to the dead body of an animal, 'Kadaver' (carcass) is a neutral to technical term. It is often used in biology, by hunters, or by authorities.
EXAMPLE
Der Förster untersuchte den Kadaver des Wildschweins.
The forester examined the carcass of the wild boar.
Typical collocations
In connection with animals, 'Kadaver' (carcass) is often combined with verbs like 'finden' (to find), 'entdecken' (to discover), or 'beseitigen' (to remove/dispose of). Scavenging animals feed on carcasses.
EXAMPLE
Geier kreisten über dem Kadaver in der Savanne.
Vultures circled over the carcass in the savanna.
Compare with
Kadaver vs Tote
dead person
'der Tote' and 'der Kadaver' can both refer to a dead body. The most important difference is who or what you are referring to. 'der Tote' normally means a person who has died and is a neutral, respectful term. 'der Kadaver' normally means the dead body of an animal. For a human being, 'Kadaver' sounds very derogatory and disrespectful. Learners may confuse the words because both have to do with death. In normal conversations about people, you say 'der Tote' or 'die Tote', not 'der Kadaver'.
Kadaver
Am Straßenrand lag der Kadaver eines Rehs.
The carcass of a deer lay by the side of the road.
Tote
Nach dem Unfall wurde der Tote von der Polizei identifiziert.
After the accident, the dead person was identified by the police.
In real life
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