cemetery

American  

[sem-i-ter-ee] / ˈsɛm ɪˌtɛr i /

noun

PLURAL

cemeteries

1. an area set apart for or containing graves, tombs, or funeral urns, especially one that is not a churchyard; burial ground; graveyard.

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cemetery British  

/ ˈsɛmɪtrɪ /

noun

1. a place where the dead are buried, esp one not attached to a church

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Etymology

Origin of cemetery

1375–1425; late Middle English < Late Latin coemētērium < Greek koimētḗrion a sleeping place, equivalent to koimē- (variant stem of koimân to put to sleep) + -tērion suffix of locality

Compare meaning

How does cemetery compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• cemetery vs. graveyard

Example Sentences

A memorial garden officially opens at Thornhill cemetery in Cardiff on Monday to honour donors and educate others on the law.

From BBC

Today, the couple are buried close together in Bromsgrove's old cemetery in Worcestershire.

From BBC

VALOR, which has also advocated for a veterans cemetery in Orange County, was listed as a co-sponsor of the memorial.

From Los Angeles Times

Crowds packed the military cemetery, with some climbing onto rooftops to glimpse the funeral, while others watched from plastic chairs in front of a large outdoor screen.

From Barron's

An ancient box tomb thought to be built in the 1700s has collapsed in a church cemetery, exposing a large underground crypt.

From BBC

Related Words

• garden
• graveyard
• mortuary
• tomb