obituary
Americannoun
plural
obituariesadjective
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of obituary
1700–10; < Medieval Latin obituārius, equivalent to Latin obitu ( s ) death ( see obit) + -ārius -ary
Explanation
An obituary is the notice of someone's death. It is placed in the newspaper to alert others to the death. It gives a background about the deceased's life, usually listing survivors and giving funeral information. The noun obituary, which appears in English in the early 18th century, comes from the Latin obīre, where ob- means "toward," and īre, "to go," suggesting a "going toward" one's death. The first obituary as we know it probably appeared shortly after the invention of the printing press and included just the bare facts of the death. In 19th-century England, the announcements became more elaborate, and photos were added in the 20th century, making the modern obituary more like an elaborate eulogy.
Vocabulary lists containing obituary
Seedfolks
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The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
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The Westing Game
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In one all-hands, Schulman recommended that staff ask AI to write their obituary to see how the technology works and how it frames their lives.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 19, 2026
An American folk hero, Whittaker lived a life "devoted to adventure, stewardship, service, and family", his family said in an obituary.
From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026
Her obituary describes her as the “high school queen” her junior year.
From Slate • Apr. 6, 2026
Most of my friends have never had to write an obituary, or file a life insurance claim, or deal with probate court.
From Salon • Mar. 24, 2026
I took the obituary down to Mr. Greene.
From "Dead End in Norvelt" by Jack Gantos
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
