carcase

Carcase, a variant spelling of carcass, is a term used in several senses in English. In meat production, it refers to the body of an animal after slaughter and evisceration, typically cleaned and prepared for further processing. The carcase may be described by attributes such as weight, species, and fat cover, and carcase weight is a key measure in processing, grading, and sale. In British English, carcase is common, while carcass is the standard spelling in American English.

In engineering, architecture, and shipping, carcase denotes the basic frame or skeleton of a structure or machine. It is the form that remains after fittings, coverings, or internal components are removed, providing the essential support or outline for subsequent work. Examples include the carcase of a building under construction, the carcase of a ship’s hull, or the carcase of an electrical cabinet.

The plural forms are carcases or carcasses, with usage following ordinary pluralization rules and regional spelling preferences. The term emphasizes structure, framework, or core construct rather than finish or external cladding.

Etymology traces carcase to French carcase and Latin carcas, reflecting its sense of a body or main frame. Although often interchangeable with carcass in general use, carcase is especially common in British contexts and in technical descriptions where the focus is on form rather than fleshy or finished aspects.