morgue

[mawrg]

noun

1. a place in which bodies are kept, especially the bodies of victims of violence or accidents, pending identification or burial.

2. a reference file of old clippings, mats, books, etc., in a newspaper office.

3. the room containing such a reference file.

4. any place, as a room or file, where records, information, or objects are kept for unexpected but possible future use.

5. such records, information, or objects.

morgue

¹

/ mɔːɡ /

noun

1. another word for mortuary

2. informal,  a room or file containing clippings, files, etc, used for reference in a newspaper

morgue

²

/ mɔrɡ /

noun

1. superiority; haughtiness

Word History and Origins

Origin of morgue¹

1815–25; < French; name of building in Paris housing unidentified dead bodies

Word History and Origins

Origin of morgue¹

C19: from French la Morgue, a Paris mortuary

Example Sentences

Lungu died in South Africa in June, and his body is still in a morgue there because of the failure to reach agreement over his burial.

From BBC

Suddenly, Kassem said: "This is it. I'm sure of it. This is the building that contained the morgue."

From BBC

The mother of a 22-year-old man who was shot in the back with a sub-machine gun three years ago said the image of seeing his body lying in a morgue still "haunts" her.

From BBC

A morgue visit elicits disinterest and little more than a body count, with Sara wondering if “ten makes a massacre. I only counted six.”

From Los Angeles Times

The bodies of 54 migrants were discovered onshore in the southern district of Khanfar, and 14 others were taken to a hospital morgue in the Abyan provincial capital Zinjibar, the Associated Press reported.

From BBC

Related Words

• funeral home