décéder
to pass away, to die
verb deh-seh-DEH Rare
Origin: Latin 'decedere' (to depart)
Usage Note
Décéder is a formal, administrative euphemism for dying, used on death certificates, in official notices, and polite speech. Unlike mourir (to die), it is almost never used in casual conversation. It conjugates with être in compound tenses: il est décédé (he passed away). The noun is le décès (death, passing).
Examples
"Son grand-père est décédé la semaine dernière."
Natural Translation
His grandfather passed away last week.
Related Words
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