departedde‧part‧ed /dɪˈpɑːtɪd $ -ɑːr-/ adjective [only before noun] 
his dear departed wife
EXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS
- As the film progresses we come to appreciate Ishi's dignity and the courage of his now departed people.
- For few of the departed will life afterwards be easy.
- For if that departed order can be allowed any saving graces, it was in that area that they might be found.
- It was named in honour of our departed hero.
- Omagh gave a senior debut to 16-year-old Aidan Coyle, no relation to departed striker Liam.
- Receive in tranquillity and peace, Lord, the souls of all your departed servants who have died recently.
- Taking the worry out of caring for the departed.
- There it is said the ghost of his departed wife pleaded with him to proceed no further.
THESAURUS
no longer alive: · the bodies of three dead soldiers· Is her father dead?
literary dead or seeming to be dead: · their lifeless bodies
[only before noun] formal dead – use this as a polite way of talking about someone who has died, especially recently: · Mrs Lombard’s late husband· a gold Cartier bracelet that once belonged to the late American artist Andy Warhol
formal dead: · Her parents, now deceased, disapproved of her marriage.· her deceased husband· They were friends of the deceased (=the person who died).
[only before noun] dead – used in order to be polite and avoid saying the word ‘dead’: · They paid their respects to their departed uncle.· his dear departed wife
[not before noun] informal dead – used especially when someone was alive not long before: · ‘Is she gone?’ ‘I’m afraid so.’
WORD SETSasphyxia, nounautopsy, nounbarrow, nounbequeath, verbbereaved, adjectivebereavement, nounbier, nounbody bag, nounbody count, nounburial, nounbury, verbcasket, nouncatacomb, nouncatafalque, nouncemetery, nouncenotaph, nouncharnel house, nounchurchyard, nouncoffin, nouncommittal, nouncondolence, nouncoroner, nouncorpse, nouncortege, nouncot death, nouncremate, verbcrematorium, nouncrib death, nouncrucifixion, nouncrucify, verbcrypt, noundeath mask, noundemise, noundeparted, adjectiveD.O.A., adjectivedrown, verbembalm, verbend, nounepitaph, nouneulogy, nounexhume, verbexpire, verbfatality, nounfuneral, nounfunerary, adjectivefunereal, adjectivegrave, noungravedigger, noungravestone, noungraveyard, nounheadstone, nounhearse, nounhospice, nouninter, verbinterment, nounmausoleum, nounmorgue, nounmortality, nounmortician, nounmortuary, nounmortuary, adjectivemourner, nounmourning, nounmummify, verbmummy, nounnecrophilia, nounobsequies, nounpall, nounpallbearer, nounpassing, nounperish, verbplot, nounprobate, nounprobate, verbpyre, nounquietus, nounremains, nounrest, verbrigor mortis, nounRIP, rise, verbsarcophagus, nounsepulchre, nounshroud, nounthrenody, nountoll, nountomb, nountombstone, nountumulus, nounundertaker, nounundertaking, nounurn, nounvault, nounwake, nounwar memorial, nounwill, nounwinding sheet, nounwreath, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY his dear departed wife
his dear departed wifePHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
dead – used in order to avoid saying the word ‘dead’: - Phoney psychics could milk their rich clients for years, charging fancy prices for rap sessions with the dear departed.
his dear departed wife