Word question: why do we say "deceased" instead of just "ceased" (as in "he ceased to exist") as a descriptor for the dead?
(Earlier question: If there are "disgruntled" employees, why aren't there "gruntled" ones?)
1.10.2007
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2 comments:
Your friendly linguist says...
deceased: c.1330, from Fr. deces, from L. decessus "death," lit. "departure" (euphemism for mors), from pp. stem of decedere "die," from de- "away" + cedere "go"
Ah, thank you, Joseph. Any luck with "gruntled"?
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