Typically, the angle of death is 0°, relative to the surface on which the dead person is resting. For example, if the deceased is on a 5° slope, the body will likewise have an angle of 5°. If wearing a backpack or piled on some other person, the angle of death can vary, usually by less than 30°. There are exceptions, however, such as when the corpse is in a chair or leaning against a wall, in which case the angle of death might be anywhere from 45° to a full 90°.
Less commonly, the angle of death is used as derived from a French term,
Angle Du Mort, referring to a common point of intestinal leakage in a Hofmeister closure of the small intestine. It may also reference
l'angle mort, the common French term for the "blind spot" involved in many traffic accidents.
Millennials have been known to use
angle of death in reference to the point at which a teenager's eye-rolling becomes severe enough to elicit retribution from a parent.
One or all of these descriptions may be associated with belief in a unique spiritual being, the
Angel of Death. This figure is popular in fiction and fantasy, but not well-supported in the Bible.