Deceased vs. Diseased
The words deceased and diseased do sound similar, so it is easy to see why they are sometimes confused. But, like many words in the English language, they can be easily understood and used correctly with a little forethought and understanding of the differences between them. A diseased person would not want to be mistaken for deceased, so take a few moments to understand these two terms.
Deceased is an adjective meaning dead or no longer living. Deceased can also function as a noun for the person or thing that has died.
1. My great-grandfather was deceased before I was ever born.
2. The deceased cat belonged to my neighbors.
3. Please refrain from taking pictures of the deceased.
4. It is disrespectful to walk on the grave of a deceased person.
Diseased is an adjective describing someone or something that has a disease, of the body or mind.
1. The diseased plant is wilting before our eyes.
2. The game warden said to stay away from the diseased animal because it might be suffering from rabies.
3. The prisoner's mind was diseased, which explained his odd behavior.
As you can see, these two words mean very different things. A diseased person or thing is still living-and depending on the severity of the disease, may or may not wind up deceased. An easy way to make sure you are using the correct word is to think of the c in deceased. It can stand for "coffin" or "corpse." This will help you to remember to use these words correctly.
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