cemetery

American  

[sem-i-ter-ee] / ˈsɛm ɪˌtɛr i /

noun

plural

cemeteries

1. an area set apart for or containing graves, tombs, or funeral urns, especially one that is not a churchyard; burial ground; graveyard.

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cemetery British  

/ ˈsɛmɪtrɪ /

noun

1. a place where the dead are buried, esp one not attached to a church

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Etymology

Origin of cemetery

1375–1425; late Middle English < Late Latin coemētērium < Greek koimētḗrion a sleeping place, equivalent to koimē- (variant stem of koimân to put to sleep) + -tērion suffix of locality

Compare meaning

How does cemetery compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• cemetery vs. graveyard

Example Sentences

Nearby, a well-maintained veterans cemetery can be seen, its tombstones decorated with wreaths and flowers.

From Barron's

Oddly, for someone trying to escape ghosts, the new house backed up to one of the oldest cemeteries in Rochester.

From Literature

Many of them are buried in the sprawling military cemeteries now dotted across Ukraine.

From BBC

The young couple is now buried in a cemetery in Avangard, a small village on the outskirts of Odesa.

From Barron's

Mourners at his funeral in November 2024 were only able to reach the cemetery by snowmobile, and Akeev's coffin arrived on wide wooden sleds.

From BBC

Related Words

• garden
• graveyard
• mortuary
• tomb