The Collaborative International Dictionary
Adipocere \Ad"i*po*cere`\, n. [L. adeps, adipis, fat + cera wax: cf. F. adipocere.] A soft, unctuous, or waxy substance, of a light brown color, into which the fat and muscle tissue of dead bodies sometimes are converted, by long immersion in water or by burial in moist places. It is a result of fatty degeneration.
Wiktionary
n. A brown, fatty, waxy substance (fatty acids) that forms on dead animal tissues in response to hydrolysis
Wikipedia
Adipocere , also known as corpse, grave or mortuary wax, is a wax-like organic substance formed by the anaerobic bacterial hydrolysis of fat in tissue, such as body fat in corpses. In its formation, putrefaction is replaced by a permanent firm cast of fatty tissues, internal organs, and the face.
Usage examples of "adipocere".
David remembered reading of adipocere, fatty tissues changed chemically to waxy material, preserving bodies for decades.
The exposed bone is somewhat decalcified, and adipocere seems firmly established throughout.
This greasy, sometimes waxy substance is known as adipocere, or grave wax.