mortsafe

noun

a heavy iron cage or grille placed over the grave of a newly deceased person during the 19th century in order to deter body snatchers

Word Origin for mortsafe

C19: from mort dead body (via Old French from Latin mors death) + safe

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