ADIPOCERE

Etymology

Noun

adipocere (countable and uncountable, plural adipoceres)

A brown, fatty, waxy substance (fatty acids) that forms on dead animal tissues in response to hydrolysis

Synonyms

• grave wax

Source: Wiktionary

Ad"i*po*cere`, n. Etym: [L. adeps, adipis, fat + cera wax: cf. F. adipocere.]

Definition: A soft, unctuous, or waxy substance, of a light brown color, into which the fat and muscle tissue of dead bodies sometimes are converted, by long immersion in water or by burial in moist places. It is a result of fatty degeneration.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition