obituary

[ oh-bich-oo-er-ee ]

noun

, plural o·bit·u·ar·ies.

1. a notice of the death of a person, often with a biographical sketch, as in a newspaper.

adjective

1. of, relating to, or recording a death or deaths:

   the obituary page of a newspaper.

obituary

/ əˈbɪtjʊərɪ /

noun

1. a published announcement of a death, often accompanied by a short biography of the dead person

Derived Forms

• oˈbituarist, noun

Other Words From

• o·bitu·ar·ist noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of obituary¹

1700–10; < Medieval Latin obituārius, equivalent to Latin obitu ( s ) death ( obit ) + -ārius -ary

Word History and Origins

Origin of obituary¹

C18: from Medieval Latin obituārius, from Latin obīre to fall, from ob- down + īre to go

Example Sentences

She recounts the time an aunt surprised her family by disclosing their Chumash heritage through an email that contained old maps and newspaper clippings of an ancestor’s obituary.

From Los Angeles Times

His obituary ran in the New York Times in September 1956, which means she would have been born in 1944, a year cited in early biographical references.

From Los Angeles Times

The agency couldn't find any obituaries for her, which I tried to take as an encouraging sign.

From Salon

In 2017, Wheeler received the Living Legend Award from the National Black Theatre Festival in Winston-Salem, N.C., which he called a “tremendous honor,” according to his obituary.

From Los Angeles Times

According to Mr Abraham’s obituary, the victim was a “licensed professional counsellor, motivational speaker, recording artist, author and teacher”.

From BBC

Related Words

• eulogy
• obit