adipocere
/ˈædɪpəˌsɪr/
noun
- A waxy substance that forms on dead bodies in wet conditions, sometimes called grave wax.
- The forensic team identified adipocere on the remains, indicating they had been in damp soil for months.
- Adipocere can preserve the shape of a body for a very long time.
- In the old cemetery, workers uncovered a coffin with visible adipocere on the skeleton.