Extremely thin and pale, resembling a dead body or corpse; gaunt and ghostly-looking.
From Latin 'cadaver' (dead body) + suffix '-ous' (full of). The Latin word likely derives from 'cadere' (to fall), since death involves the body falling into stillness. The adjective emerged in English in the 17th century to describe the haunting appearance of skeletal or emaciated people.
Medieval doctors used 'cadaverous' to diagnose diseases that wasted bodies—if you looked cadaverous, you were seriously ill. Even today, the word is clinically precise: it literally describes the appearance of someone who has died, making it perfect for horror literature and medical observations.
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