sarcophagus

[ sahr-kof-uh-guhs ]

noun

, plural sar·coph·a·gi [sahr-, kof, -, uh, -jahy], 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.

sarcophagus

/ sɑːˈkɒfəɡəs /

noun

1. a stone or marble coffin or tomb, esp one bearing sculpture or inscriptions

Word History and Origins

Origin of sarcophagus¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of sarcophagus¹

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

Example Sentences

Then her body was dressed in her finest silks, draped with her most impressive jewels, and shelved away in a plain stone sarcophagus.

From Time

He rests lavishly, depicted in a marble sarcophagus that stares up for eternity at the carved depictions of his life story.

From The Daily Beast

The body lay in an aboveground marble sarcophagus guarded by no groundskeepers or watchmen, just one lonely padlock.

From The Daily Beast

Prices start at around $1,000 for Greek-Roman coins (250 A.D.) and top $25,000 for ornate Sarcophagus lids.

From The Daily Beast

But he has not launched a huge, historic initiative on which history has slammed the sarcophagus lid screaming “Failure!”

From The Daily Beast

Recent budget cuts are just the last nail in the sarcophagus.

From The Daily Beast

Sometimes the sarcophagus was placed behind a perforated slab of marble, as shown in the following example, given by Maitland.

From Project Gutenberg

A large recess in the wall next to the Papal Crypt is thought to have held her sarcophagus.

From Project Gutenberg

In the roofless structure was found a sarcophagus bearing the name of Alexander, and probably once containing his ashes.

From Project Gutenberg

The high-arched temple, in the centre of which stands the sarcophagus, is inlaid with mosaic work of rare stones.

From Project Gutenberg

On the right and on the left reposed, each in a massy sarcophagus, the departed kings and queens of Spain.

From Project Gutenberg

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