sarcophagus
Americannoun
-
a stone coffin, especially one bearing sculpture, inscriptions, etc., often displayed as a monument.
-
Greek Antiquity. a kind of stone thought to consume the flesh of corpses, used for coffins.
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of sarcophagus
1595–1605; < Latin < Greek sarkophágos, noun use of the adj.; see sarcophagous
Explanation
If you want to go out in style, buy yourself a sarcophagus — a very fancy coffin usually decorated with elaborate carvings. If King Tut could arrange it, so can you! Sarcophagus comes from the Greek word sarkophagos meaning "limestone used for coffins." But the Greek literally translates to mean "flesh-eating." Seems a bit gruesome, doesn't it? This translation makes sense when you figure that limestone was used in coffins because it quickly decomposed the body. These stone coffins are usually decorated with a sculpture or inscription and date back to the ancient civilizations of Egypt, Rome, and Greece.
Vocabulary lists containing sarcophagus
Ancient Egypt - Introductory
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Ancient Egypt - Middle School and High School
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Cemetery Boys
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He later helped build the first sarcophagus covering the reactor, as well as the second one, which was damaged by a Russian drone strike in 2025.
From Barron's • Apr. 25, 2026
Inside the mind-blowing 2,000-year-old sarcophagus that was just unsealed.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 25, 2026
Then there’s the late-second-century marble sarcophagus made to house the remains of a husband and wife.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 22, 2025
They’re lined up like figures on the carved frieze of a Roman sarcophagus, except the slight tilt of the camera has them poised to slide out of the frame.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 22, 2025
“Because usually when I knock on your door, you look like you’ve been dragged out of a sarcophagus, and that’s if you answer the door at all.”
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
