tomb
Americannoun
-
tombs
plural
-
an excavation in earth or rock for the burial of a corpse; grave.
-
a mausoleum, burial chamber, or the like.
-
a monument for housing or commemorating a dead person.
-
any sepulchral structure.
verb (used with object)
noun
-
a place, esp a vault beneath the ground, for the burial of a corpse
-
a stone or other monument to the dead
-
a poetic term for death
-
anything serving as a burial place
the sea was his tomb
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of tomb
1225–75; Middle English tumbe < Anglo-French; Old French tombe < Late Latin tumba < Greek týmbos burial mound; akin to Latin tumēre to swell. See tumor, tumulus
Explanation
A tomb is a place where a dead person is buried. Usually, a tomb is under a tombstone, which says the name of the person who died and when they lived. We're all going to die, and that means we're all going to end up in some type of tomb: a place where a corpse is buried. Over time, there have been many types of tombs, including the huge, ornate, elaborate tombs of the Egyptians. Other tombs are simpler, involving the simple burial of a box or the cremated remains.
Vocabulary lists containing tomb
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!
"The Pedestrian" by Ray Bradbury
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!
Words Whose Pronunciation Has Changed Over Time
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.
See Examples For:
The attribution to Samuel is based on clues including the location of the tomb, the sumptuousness of the garment, the age of the deceased and an old fracture.
From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026
The tomb features an outer courtyard, rock-cut chapel and subterranean burial chambers.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 10, 2026
Archeologists have dug up an ancient tomb that has largely been untouched for 600 years.
From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026
In the 20-minute gameplay sequence, Lara Croft -- still in her famous blue top and brown shorts -- explores an abandoned tomb in Greece, battling panthers and dodging giant swords falling from the ceiling.
From Barron's ● Sep. 2, 2026
Privately Ranofer wished lid, coffin and Lordship in the tomb already, but he refrained from saying so.
From "The Golden Goblet" by Eloise Jarvis McGraw
He often talks about one of the earliest-known toys, miniature chariots in Egyptian tombs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
Thousands of mourners are expected to attend the burial at the royal tombs near the palace in Fort Portal in western Uganda.
From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026
The bows, arrows, daggers, and maces found in their tombs were often interpreted as ceremonial objects rather than equipment the women had actually used.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 30, 2026
The apparent absence of weaponry or tombs, including for the civilization’s rulers, also remains a mystery.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 8, 2026
You could die in a river, but maybe you could get reborn in it, too, like the beehive tombs August had told me about.
From "The Secret Life of Bees" by Sue Monk Kidd
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.
