Lych-gate

Alternative forms

• lichgate
• lich-gate
• lychgate
• lyke-gate

Origin

From lich("corpse") + gate.

Full definition of lych-gate

Noun

1. A churchyard gateway with a roof, under which a corpse was laid during a funeral to await the arrival of the clergyman.
• 1851, Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell, The Moorland Cottage Chapter , If you take the turn to the left, after you pass the lyke-gate at Combehurst Church, …