Deodand, a term used in the past for an object that caused the death of a human being, has slowly fallen out of modern usage. The term was created in medieval England as a way to impose fines on inanimate objects such as carts, boats, and even trees that were involved in human fatalities. Though there aren't many modern terms that exist as exact synonyms for deodand, there are various other terms that can be used in its place depending on the situation. Words like "culprit," "cause," "source of danger," "instrument of death," and "fatal object" can be utilized to describe what deodand refers to. These words, coupled with their context, are the modern equivalents to the term deodand.