funeral

[fyoo-ner-uhl]

noun

1. the ceremonies for a dead person prior to burial or cremation; obsequies.

2. a funeral procession.

adjective

1. of or relating to a funeral.

   funeral services; funeral expenses.

funeral

/ ˈfjuːnərəl /

noun

1. 1. a ceremony at which a dead person is buried or cremated

   2. ( as modifier )

      a funeral service

2. a procession of people escorting a corpse to burial

3. informal,  worry; concern; affair

   that's your funeral

Other Word Forms

• prefuneral adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of funeral¹

1350–1400; Middle English (adj.) < Medieval Latin fūnerālis, equivalent to Latin fūner-, stem of fūnus funeral rites + -ālis -al ¹; (noun), from early 16th cent., probably < Middle French funerailles < Medieval Latin fūnerālia, neuter plural of fūnerālis

Word History and Origins

Origin of funeral¹

C14: from Medieval Latin fūnerālia , from Late Latin fūnerālis (adj), from Latin fūnus funeral

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. be someone's funeral, to have unpleasant consequences for someone.

   If you don't finish the work on time, it will be your funeral!

see it's your funeral.

Example Sentences

He had a private funeral in the Los Angeles area, followed by a public memorial in Toronto that prompted a national outpouring of grief in Canada.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

She was not at the scene but attended funerals on Tuesday, and added that they were still "collecting body parts".

Read more on BBC

One of those, a woman in her 40s, was buried without a single person attending her funeral.

Read more on BBC

He is also said to have recounted his role in an attempt on the life of an unnamed US Secretary of State at a state funeral in Pakistan.

Read more on BBC

Mr Levy's comments came as hundreds of people attended the funeral service for Mr Cravitz.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• burial 
• cremation