sarcophagus

[ sahr-kof-uh-guhs ]
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noun,plural sar·coph·a·gi [sahr-kof-uh-jahy], /sɑrˈkɒf əˌdʒaɪ/, sar·coph·a·gus·es.
  1. a stone coffin, especially one bearing sculpture, inscriptions, etc., often displayed as a monument.

  2. Greek Antiquity. a kind of stone thought to consume the flesh of corpses, used for coffins.

Origin of sarcophagus

1
1595–1605; <Latin <Greek sarkophágos, noun use of the adj.; see sarcophagous

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How to use sarcophagus in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for sarcophagus

sarcophagus

/ (sɑːˈkɒfəɡəs) /


nounplural -gi (-ˌɡaɪ) or -guses
  1. a stone or marble coffin or tomb, esp one bearing sculpture or inscriptions

Origin of sarcophagus

1
C17: via Latin from Greek sarkophagos flesh-devouring; from the type of stone used, which was believed to destroy the flesh of corpses

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