Funeral

Pronunciation

Origin

1437, from Middle French funerailles ("funeral rites") pl, from Medieval Latin funeralia ("funeral rites"), originally neuter plural of Late Latin funeralis ("having to do with a funeral"), from Latin funere, ablative of funus ("funeral, death, corpse"), origin unknown, perhaps ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dÊ°ew- ("to die"). Singular and plural used interchangeably in English until circa 1700. The adjective funereal is first attested 1725, by influence of Middle French funerail, from Latin funereus, from funus.

Adjective

1. Related to a ceremony in honor of a deceased person.

Full definition of funeral

Noun

1. A ceremony to honour and remember a deceased person.No one likes to go to funerals.
2. (dated, chiefly in the plural) A funeral sermon.
• SouthMr. Giles Lawrence preached his funerals.

Related terms

• cemetery
• funerary
• funereal
• mortuary

Derived terms

• funeral director
• funeral parlour

Anagrams

• flaneur
• frenula