burial

American  

[ber-ee-uhl] / ˈbɛr i əl /

noun

1. the act or ceremony of burying.

2. the place of burying; grave.

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burial British  

/ ˈbɛrɪəl /

noun

1. the act of burying, esp the interment of a dead body

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Other Word Forms

• reburial
  noun

Etymology

Origin of burial

First recorded in 1200–50; bury + -al ²; replacing Middle English buriel, back formation from Old English byrgels “burial place,” from byrg(an) “to bury” + -els(e), noun suffix ( cf. riddle ¹)

Explanation

A burial is the act of placing a dead person in a grave. It's a ritual of respect and closure. If your pet lizard dies, give him a proper burial by digging a little grave in your backyard. If you've ever been to a funeral, you've probably witnessed a burial — lowering a corpse into the ground. Though burying a body is physically like burying anything, a burial involves solemn rituals and deep respect. Often, religious services are given as the body goes under, and the family and friends gather at the burial to mourn the dead. A tombstone or other marker is erected after the burial.

Example Sentences

But in Congo, relatives often insist on traditional burial practices, which include washing corpses to usher the dead into the afterlife.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 24, 2026

A body is even infectious after a person dies, making burial rituals that involve touching a deceased person, a common practice in this region, especially risky.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

The body of a dead Ebola victim is highly infectious and the authorities need to ensure safe burial to stop the spread of the virus.

From BBC • May 21, 2026

Effectively, I was the first to bear witness to the obviously caring burial of someone's child that occurred over 11,000 years ago.

From Science Daily • May 20, 2026

All the poor lady’s papers were in order; explicit directions regarding the place of burial were given.

From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker

Related Words

• funeral
• interment