obituary

[ oh-bich-oo-er-ee ]

/ oʊˈbɪtʃ uˌɛr i /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR obituary ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural o·bit·u·ar·ies.

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

adjective

of, relating to, or recording a death or deaths: the obituary page of a newspaper.

Nearby words

Origin of obituary

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

Related formso·bit·u·ar·ist, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for obituary

As far as he is concerned, they're preparing his obituary and he doesn't care to attend the funeral.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days|David Freeman|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And a generation of obituary writers have paid tribute to celebrities as well as everyday people.
The Day the Fairytale Died|Marilyn Johnson|July 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Marilyn Johnson explored the subculture of obituary scribes in her wonderful 2006 book, The Dead Beat.
The Day the Fairytale Died|Marilyn Johnson|July 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Because in 2014, there really is no such thing as bad publicity…except your own obituary.
Why Bieber Could Benefit From Scandal|Joe Concha|January 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST

As the old saying goes, “There is no such thing as bad publicity except your own obituary.”
Why Bieber Could Benefit From Scandal|Joe Concha|January 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
To some women the most terrible thought connected with death is the dates in the obituary notice.
An Ambitious Man|Ella Wheeler Wilcox
As leader-writer he is unequalled, and as a writer of obituary notices he is unsurpassable.
Sinn Fein|P. S. O'Hegarty
The obituary notices in the newspapers referred to him as "a leading merchant" and "a gentleman of the old school."
Search-Light Letters|Robert Grant
This obituary was doubtless extracted from a Southern newspaper.
Anti-Slavery Opinions before the Year 1800|William Frederick Poole
His obituary, which I wrote at the time of his death, is added at the close of this chapter.
By Canoe and Dog-Train|Egerton Ryerson Young

British Dictionary definitions for obituary

obituary

/ (əˈbɪtjʊərɪ) /

noun plural -aries

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

Derived Formsobituarist, noun

Word Origin for obituary

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

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

Word Origin and History for obituary

obituary

1706, "register of deaths," from Medieval Latin obituarius "a record of the death of a person," literally "pertaining to death," from Latin obitus "departure, a going to meet, encounter" (a euphemism for "death"), from stem of obire "go toward, go to meet" (as in mortem obire "meet death"), from ob "to, toward" (see ob-) + ire "to go" (see ion). Meaning "record or announcement of a death, especially in a newspaper, and including a brief biographical sketch" is from 1738. As an adjective from 1828. A similar euphemism is in Old English cognate forðfaran "to die," literally "to go forth;" utsið "death," literally "going out, departure."

obituary

noun, plural o·bit·u·ar·ies.

adjective

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of obituary

Examples from the Web for obituary

obituary

noun plural -aries

Word Origin for obituary

obituary