mortician

American  

[mawr-tish-uhn] / mɔrˈtɪʃ ən /

noun

1. funeral director.

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mortician British  

/ mɔːˈtɪʃən /

noun

1. another word for undertaker

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Etymology

Origin of mortician

An Americanism dating back to 1890–95; mort(uary) + -ician

Explanation

Lots of kids want to grow up to be astronauts, firefighters, or doctors. Not too many want to be morticians, which makes sense: a mortician runs a funeral home. One of the saddest facts of life is that we all die, but that fact is a little less sad if you're a mortician — their business depends on death. Morticians — also called undertakers and funeral directors — do various jobs, such as planning a funeral, helping people pick a coffin, and preparing the body of the person who died. Morticians also need to be skilled at comforting, because they are constantly working with people who are sad and angry at the death of their family or friends.

Example Sentences

“Words were never my strongest suit,” says the hapless deputy sheriff of “The Mortician Confesses.”

From New York Times • Mar. 9, 2021

Mortician and New York Times bestselling author Caitlin Doughty explains that the view that dead bodies are “dangerous” originated in the late 19th century.

From Salon • Jun. 4, 2016

A card for National Love Your Mortician Day: It was only this summer you buried our dad In a casket you claimed was the cheapest you had.

From Washington Post • Dec. 9, 2015

Janssen, an Anchorage funeral director, calls himself "The Mushin' Mortician."

From Reuters • Mar. 3, 2013

Robert Miller, who had just been named Mortician of the Year, had a ready explanation.

From Time Magazine Archive