noun
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.
Vocabulary lists containing burial
Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -al, -ial
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"Taste of Salt" by Frances Collins, Chapters 13–18
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Doctor Faustus
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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.
They interacted directly, sharing tools, ways of life, and even burial practices.
From Science Daily • Apr. 12, 2026
The pope will personally carry the cross through all 14 stations retracing Christ's journey, from his condemnation to his crucifixion and to his burial, according to Vatican sources.
From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026
After decades working in mortuaries, a campaigner hopes to provide the UK's first human composting service as an alternative to cremation or burial.
From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026
Two scrolls from the Egyptian ‘Book of the Dead,’ one newly restored, form the breathtaking centerpiece of a show that reveals the considerable art involved in the ancient civilization’s burial rites.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026
As the mourners turned their backs to the coffin to await its burial, Pinmei could not help stealing a look.
From "When the Sea Turned to Silver" by Grace Lin
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.
