tomb

American  

[toom] / tum /

noun

• tombs
  plural

1. an excavation in earth or rock for the burial of a corpse; grave.

2. a mausoleum, burial chamber, or the like.

3. a monument for housing or commemorating a dead person.

4. any sepulchral structure.

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verb (used with object)

1. to place in or as if in a tomb; entomb; bury.

tomb British  

/ tuːm /

noun

1. a place, esp a vault beneath the ground, for the burial of a corpse

2. a stone or other monument to the dead

3. a poetic term for death

4. anything serving as a burial place

   the sea was his tomb

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verb

1. rare (tr) to place in a tomb; entomb

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• tombal
  adjective
• tombless
  adjective
• tomblike
  adjective
• untombed
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• tombs
  plural

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

tomb tombs

One of the main research questions associated with our fieldwork focuses on the question of tomb placement and tomb reuse – for which the newly discovered tomb carries important scholarly significance.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 10, 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

Without people or laughter or learning, the domed building was just a fancy tomb filled with dry and dusty books.

From "Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics" by Chris Grabenstein

Thousands of mourners lined the streets as the king's casket was transported to the royal tombs in Fort Portal where a private ceremony took place.

From BBC ● Sep. 12, 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

"This conclusion is supported by the way their bones developed to sustain heavy muscle use, which corresponds directly to the weapons discovered in their tombs."

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

At times I could not prevent myself from lying flat on the ground, pretending I was inside one of those beehive tombs.

From "The Secret Life of Bees" by Sue Monk Kidd

Related Words

• burial
• coffin
• mausoleum
• monument
• pit
• vault