mortuary

American  

[mawr-choo-er-ee] / ˈmɔr tʃuˌɛr i /

noun

mortuaries plural

1. funeral home.

2. a customary gift formerly claimed by and due to the incumbent of a parish in England from the estate of a deceased parishioner.

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adjective

1. of or relating to the burial of the dead.

2. pertaining to or connected with death.

mortuary British  

/ ˈmɔːtʃʊərɪ /

noun

1. Also called: morgue.  a building where dead bodies are kept before cremation or burial

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adjective

1. of or relating to death or burial

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• premortuary
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• mortuaries
  plural

Etymology

Origin of mortuary

1350–1400; Middle English mortuarie < Medieval Latin mortuārium, noun use of neuter of Latin mortuārius of the dead, equivalent to mortu ( us ) dead + -ārius -ary

Explanation

A mortuary is a room or area, often in a hospital, where dead bodies are kept. You can also use the word mortuary to talk about a funeral home. When a person dies in a hospital, his body is usually moved to a mortuary before an autopsy takes place. A mortuary is also where a body is kept until it's buried or cremated. Another word for a mortuary is a morgue, which is more commonly used in the United States. In the 1500's, mortuary was used as an adjective meaning "pertaining to death," from the Latin root word mortuus, or "dead."

Example Sentences

The review team identified significant failures in post-death care, including concerns related to loss of dignity, poor mortuary processes, lack of effective identification systems and inappropriate communication.

From BBC • Jun. 24, 2026

Police investigating maternity failings in Nottingham have arrested two men in connection with operating practices in the city's mortuary service.

From BBC • Jun. 22, 2026

Among those helping prepare victims for burial was Kazem Pourzahedian, a fabric merchant in Minab who for 10 years has volunteered at a local mortuary to perform the ritual washing of the dead.

From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026

Hughes, a broadcaster, author and leader of the Anglesey Druid Order, spent three decades working for coroners across the UK and abroad as a specialised mortuary technician.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

In the morning, Jackie disengaged from the family that had gathered to pay respects and take her to the mortuary.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel

Related Words

• morgue