corpus vile

/ˈkɔɹpəs ˈviːleɪ/

noun

A person, animal or thing treated as expendable, to therefore use as an experimental subject regardless of whatever loss or damage it may suffer as a result.

OriginLatin corpus →
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Meanings

nouncorpus vile (plural corpora vilia)

plural corpora vilia

  1. A person, animal or thing treated as expendable, to therefore use as an experimental subject regardless of whatever loss or damage it may suffer as a result.
  2. figurativelyThe subject of an experiment.

Origin

  1. Latincorpus“body”
  2. Englishcorpus vile

From Latin corpus (“body”) vile (“worthless”).

More words from Latin

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Cite this entry
APA

corpus vile. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/corpus%20vile

MLA

“corpus vile.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/corpus%20vile. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “corpus vile,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/corpus%20vile.

Source: corpus vile on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.