mourner

[ mawr-ner, mohr- ]

noun

1. a person who mourns.
2. a person who attends a funeral to mourn for the deceased.
3. (at religious revival meetings) a person who professes penitence for sin, with desire for salvation.

mourner

/ ˈmɔːnə /

noun

1. a person who mourns, esp at a funeral
2. (at US revivalist meetings) a person who repents publicly

Word History and Origins

Origin of mourner¹

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; mourn, -er ¹

Example Sentences

As Shekita McBroom walked down the church aisle in Southeast Washington toward her daughter’s body, mourners could see signs of Jayla McBroom’s youth throughout the sanctuary.

From Washington Post

In this case there’s a whole chorus of mourners, but there’s also an abundance of joy, love and levity to soften the blows.

From Washington Post

These include the heaps of flowers left by anonymous mourners at a site associated with the life or death of a famous, beloved public figure.

From Washington Post

She first moved there temporarily as a schoolgirl at 15, living on the same block as Edith Piaf, whose 1963 death caused a flood of mourners — including a pre-fame Gainsbourg — to shut down their street.

From Washington Post

A bright box of postcards might help a mourner open up about their grief, even when they feel disconnected from everyone around them.

From Popular-Science

By 1915, mourning attire had begun to draw more attention to the mourner than to the deceased, drawing critics to the practice.

From The Daily Beast

Grief is isolating, dividing the mourner from anyone who has yet to endure grief.

From The Daily Beast

Two church members stood outside the Church, embracing each mourner as they walked to the vigil.

From The Daily Beast

Another mourner said he was thankful he has a Prius that can get as many as 50 miles a gallon.

From The Daily Beast

But intangibles also count when a president, particularly one long viewed as aloof, has to do double duty as the mourner-in-chief.

From The Daily Beast

Birch supported the grave and collected manner that was thought becoming in a male mourner.

From Project Gutenberg

It took the bully six months to get over it, and he went to the mourner's bench himself at the next revival.

From Project Gutenberg

So we made him chief mourner instead, along with Flo—the more by token that he's the only citizen with a black coat to his back.

From Project Gutenberg

She rises above herself, no longer the despised and desponding mourner, but the accepted and the triumphant suppliant.

From Project Gutenberg

Héloïse survived him twenty years,--a priestess of God, a mourner at the tomb of Abélard.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• pallbearer