A: Actually, this word has existed in no less than four variant spellings – “faze,” “phase,” “feaze,” and “feeze.” A letter to the editor of a New York paper in 1915 noted “feaze” in one magazine, “phase” in a second, and “faze” in a third. The writer had dutifully consulted his dictionaries, where he found so many variant spellings that he said, “At present it holds the unique position of being the only English word that cannot be misspelled, however one tries.” Like you, he favored “faze,” as do numerous other commentators, most of whom agree with you in regarding “phase” as an error. Our evidence shows, however, that “phase” is indeed used in respectable edited prose, and it is still shown as a legitimate spelling variant in a few large dictionaries. (“Feaze” and “feeze,” on the other hand, now seem to have fallen completely out of use.)

The “phase” spelling of “faze” is about a century old now, and we see no reason to expect that it will be “phased out” any time soon. However, in the interests of lessening confusion in the world, we do recommend that you use “faze” in this context and let “phase” have its own distinctive uses (in such phrases as “phase out,” “phase in,” and “phase into,” for example).

Q My question involves the word “deceased.” I’ve heard it used as a verb, as in “He deceased last year” and “She deceased before he did.” Is this an attempt to avoid the word “died?” – M.A.T., Decatur, Ala.

A: The answer to both your questions is yes, but not without some qualifications. The verb “to decease,” meaning “to die” or, perhaps more aptly, “to pass away,” seems to have enjoyed some currency several hundred years ago. It was used in the manner you indicate by such noted authors as 16th-century English statesman (Saint) Thomas More in his History of King Richard the Third. But use of “decease” as a verb today appears to be restricted primarily to legal documents, and even among lawyers its popularity is not widespread. Most people are likely to find it as peculiar as you do. Much more familiar is the use of “deceased” as an adjective, as in “her recently deceased uncle,” and as a noun preceded by “the,” referring – again, most often in legal contexts – to a person who has died, as in “He claims to be the rightful heir of the deceased.” The verb “predecease,” meaning “to die before,” is also familiar in contexts like “Her husband predeceased her.”

This column was prepared by the editors of Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, Tenth Edition. Readers may send questions to Merriam-Webster’s Wordwatch, P.O. Box 281, 47 Federal St., Springfield, MA 01102.