A corpse is a term used to describe a deceased human body. The term is taken from the Latin corpus, which means "body". In the medical profession, a corpse is often referred to as a cadaver. In medical schools, human cadavers are used to study dissection. Corpses may exist in various states of decomposition from the recently deceased to full desiccation. As the subject of a dead body is a principal component of most horror media, nearly all films, programs and books within the genre feature or contain examples of a corpse to some extent. The word has also been incorporated into titles in horror media such as House of 1000 Corpses.
In some instances, a body may be resuscitated, in which case the decedent is brought back to life. In most examples of this however, these reanimated corpses bear little semblance to a healthy human being and are often regarded as zombies.