morgue

[mawrg]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR morgue ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

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

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

the room containing such a reference file.

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

such records, information, or objects.

RELATED WORDS

crematory

Nearby words

Origin of morgue

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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for morgue

So far, the mystery man in the morgue has not been identified, and neither has Mr. Douli.
‘We’re Going to Die’: Survivors Recount Greek Ferry Fire Horror|Barbie Latza Nadeau|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Another incident, in January, involved a Kenyan man, Paul Mutora, who woke up in the morgue 15 hours after being pronounced dead.
What It’s Like to Wake Up Dead|Dr. Anand Veeravagu, MD, Tej Azad|November 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Afterwards, the bodies were taken to the morgue to positively identify them.
The Shocking Death of Miss Honduras|Romina Ruiz-Goiriena|November 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He said he had been commanded to grab every journalist showing up at the morgue.
I Was Snatched at the MH17 ‘Morgue’|Anna Nemtsova|July 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Two gunmen waiting outside the morgue ordered us to follow them as soon as we got out of our taxi.
I Was Snatched at the MH17 ‘Morgue’|Anna Nemtsova|July 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The morgue attendant lifted up one small arm with a gloved hand and played the hose over the thin biceps.
Nor Iron Bars a Cage....|Gordon Randall Garrett
It strikes me, jokers are consolidating in the Morgue to-day.
Mated from the Morgue|John Augustus O'Shea
These facts are usually obtained from the file of biographies—called the morgue—which most newspapers keep.
Newspaper Reporting and Correspondence|Grant Milnor Hyde
He said, "Furthermore, that's on the street right now—this is a newspaper, not a morgue!"
Cue for Quiet|Thomas L. Sherred
The body was taken from the morgue and was buried from Mr. Dalton's house, Lizzie and Mason being the chief mourners.
The Bradys Beyond Their Depth|Anonymous

British Dictionary definitions for morgue

morgue

noun

another word for mortuary (def. 1)

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

Word Origin for morgue

C19: from French la Morgue, a Paris mortuary

noun

superiority; haughtiness

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for morgue

morgue

"mortuary," 1821, from French Morgue, originally a specific building in Paris where bodies were exposed for identification:

There is, in the most populous part of the French metropolis, an establishment entitled La Morgue, destined for the reception and exposition of bodies drowned in the Seine, and caught in nets, which are placed in different parts of the river for that purpose. The object of this exposition is, that the deceased may be recognised by their friends or relatives, and receive the rights of sepulture accordingly. The Morgue is open at all hours of the day, to passengers of every description, and often displays at a time, five or six horrible carcasses stretched, without covering, on an inclined platform, and subjected to the promiscuous gaze of the mob. ["American Review," January 1811]

Before that it was the place where new prisoners were displayed to keepers to establish their identification. Thus the name is believed to be probably from French morgue "haughtiness," originally "a sad expression, solemn look," from Old French morguer "look solemnly," from Vulgar Latin *murricare "to make a face, pout," from *murrum "muzzle, snout." The 1768 Dictionnaire Royal François-Anglois Et Anglois-François defines French morgue both as "A proud, big, haughty or stately look, stare, surliness, or surly look" and "A little gratel room wherein a new prisoner is set, and must continue some hours, that the Jailer's ordinary servants may the better take notice of his face."

Adopted as a general term in U.S., 1880s, replacing earlier dead house, etc. In newspaper slang, "collection of pre-written obituary material of living persons" (1903), hence "library of clips, photos, etc.," 1918.

Medicine definitions for morgue

morgue

[môrg]

n.

A place in which dead bodies are temporarily kept until identified and claimed or until arrangements for burial have been made.