MEANING
A waxy, soaplike substance formed by chemical alteration of body fat during decomposition, often in moist conditions.
Use it for
Remains altered in wet surroundings; waxlike bodily texture; partial preservation amid decayMake decay unexpectedly preservative instead of treating all remains as skeletons.
Words that belong together
- adipocere formation
- waxy adipocere
- remains preserved by adipocere
On the page
Adipocere had preserved the outline of the face.
The recovered remains bore patches of pale adipocere.
She mistook the adipocere for wax until the examiner explained its origin.
Nearby words
Related words
Word forms
- Base
- adipocere
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Usage notes
Primary category: horror. Forensic term; may preserve bodily features rather than simply accelerate decay. Formation varies greatly, so it is not a fixed time-of-death marker. Usually uncountable in this sense; no routine plural.
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