# What term would you like used to refer to YOUR dead body? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 30, 2019, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-term-would-you-like-used-to-refer-to-your-dead-body/841031 "2019-09-30T06:00:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jay\_Z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Jay\_Z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jay_Z)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-term-would-you-like-used-to-refer-to-your-dead-body/841031/1 "2019-09-30T06:00:49Z")
Let’s face it, we are all going to die. What happens to our soul/essence is unknown to science. But we’ll all leave a dead body on this earth. Wills and the cooperation of loved ones allow us to hopefully determine the disposal of our body. But shouldn’t we also have rights to how we are addressed? ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-term-would-you-like-used-to-refer-to-your-dead-body/841031/2 "2019-09-30T06:26:49Z")
“Corpse” is the basic term. Depending on the context I’d expect some of the others: skeleton will take quite a few years to be applicable, for example. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-term-would-you-like-used-to-refer-to-your-dead-body/841031/3 "2019-09-30T06:29:53Z")
I voted Other - “The body”. “_Dead_ body” seems redundant in that context. I could also go with “Earthly vessel” or “Flesh-cage” ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-term-would-you-like-used-to-refer-to-your-dead-body/841031/4 "2019-09-30T08:15:44Z")
Dinner ---
**Author:** ![Dereknocue67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6de8d8/32.png) [@Dereknocue67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dereknocue67)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-term-would-you-like-used-to-refer-to-your-dead-body/841031/5 "2019-09-30T08:24:53Z")
If I’m to be buried, “Worm Food” and if to be cremated, “Prospective Pollution Protoplasm”. ---
**Author:** ![Simmerdown](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simmerdown/32/14859_2.png) [@Simmerdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simmerdown)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-term-would-you-like-used-to-refer-to-your-dead-body/841031/6 "2019-09-30T10:30:32Z")
Carcass. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-term-would-you-like-used-to-refer-to-your-dead-body/841031/7 "2019-09-30T12:00:05Z")
Dead body is fine with me, but honestly, once I’m dead I really don’t care what you call me. In fact, if I kill my self, you can say I committed suicide. You don’t have to tip toe around and think that it somehow changes things or will offend my dead body less if you say I ‘died by suicide’. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-term-would-you-like-used-to-refer-to-your-dead-body/841031/8 "2019-09-30T12:03:54Z")
Cremains. (Portmanteaus are fun. They should be called “Portfunteaus”.) ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/22080_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-term-would-you-like-used-to-refer-to-your-dead-body/841031/9 "2019-09-30T12:16:09Z")
Leavin’s… 😃 I want to be donated to a med school or something. I really don’t much care at that point. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-term-would-you-like-used-to-refer-to-your-dead-body/841031/10 "2019-09-30T12:51:11Z")
\*\*What term would you like used to refer to YOUR dead body? \*\* “Over my…” ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-term-would-you-like-used-to-refer-to-your-dead-body/841031/11 "2019-09-30T13:00:24Z")
Carcass. It’s the funniest one. Deceased and decedent would work if John Cleese said them, but he may not make it to my funeral. ---
**Author:** ![MoonMoon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moonmoon/32/2959_2.png) [@MoonMoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoonMoon)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-term-would-you-like-used-to-refer-to-your-dead-body/841031/12 "2019-09-30T13:47:33Z")
“Why would I care; I’m dead” needs to be an option. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-term-would-you-like-used-to-refer-to-your-dead-body/841031/13 "2019-09-30T13:58:23Z")
I’d prefer “the wuz” (especially if I wind up on TV news, which is famous for covering “fuzz and wuz”). Otherwise “cremains” suits me, at least until I’m sprinkled in the forest to nourish the habitat. ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-term-would-you-like-used-to-refer-to-your-dead-body/841031/14 "2019-09-30T14:04:36Z")
Soylent Green. Bon Appetit! ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-term-would-you-like-used-to-refer-to-your-dead-body/841031/15 "2019-09-30T14:56:29Z")
I hope it isn’t a thread shit to say that I honestly couldn’t care less. I don’t care if you bury me, cremate me or leave me for the vultures. I care even less what you call me when you decide to shove my dead body out the car into a ditch. Why would I? I’m dead. All the cares in the world dissipate :). ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-term-would-you-like-used-to-refer-to-your-dead-body/841031/16 "2019-09-30T15:19:04Z")
Star dust. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-term-would-you-like-used-to-refer-to-your-dead-body/841031/17 "2019-09-30T15:28:31Z")
People should keep using my name, but as if I were dead. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-term-would-you-like-used-to-refer-to-your-dead-body/841031/18 "2019-09-30T15:29:22Z")
Cat food! ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-term-would-you-like-used-to-refer-to-your-dead-body/841031/19 "2019-09-30T15:32:01Z")
I honestly don’t give a shit now, and I’m confident I will care even less after I am dead. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-term-would-you-like-used-to-refer-to-your-dead-body/841031/20 "2019-09-30T15:45:26Z")
Voted other, because I don’t much care now, and won’t care at all after I’m dead. Another reason for the ‘other’ vote: if I were going to rate those options, a lot of them would be tied for ‘that’s OK’. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-term-would-you-like-used-to-refer-to-your-dead-body/841031.md?page=2)