mortuary

1 of 2

adjective

mor·​tu·​ary ˈmȯr-chə-ˌwer-ē How to pronounce mortuary (audio)
-chü-ˌer-
1
: of or relating to the burial of the dead
2
: of, relating to, or characteristic of death

mortuary

2 of 2

noun

plural mortuaries
: a place in which dead bodies are kept until burial
especially : funeral home

Examples of mortuary in a Sentence

Adjective the huge department store's mortuary atmosphere in its sad, last weeks of operation
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Jonathan Michael, a former NHS chief executive who led the inquiry, ultimately recommended surveillance cameras be installed in the mortuary and post-mortem room, and that non-mortuary workers and contractors be accompanied to the mortuary by another staff member. Lawrence Richard, Fox News, 29 Nov. 2023 When mortuary workers came for her body, the others filed out silently behind them, Rhea Shapiro, a longtime friend who was present, recalled. Alex Williams, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2022 Since the beginning of the pandemic, mortuary workers have been advised to handle bodies of COVID casualties with caution, and to wear protective equipment while doing so. Erin Prater, Fortune, 17 Dec. 2022 Though the final product is well-suited for a mortuary, Braverman points out that the overall atmosphere could fit an array of spaces. Kelsey Mulvey, House Beautiful, 31 Oct. 2022 The mortuary temples are important historical documents, providing information about the reigns of the pharaohs who built them. Bob Brier, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Oct. 2022 In 2021, nationwide new student enrollment in accredited mortuary science programs jumped 24% over 2020, according to the American Board of Funeral Service Education. Parija Kavilanz, CNN, 10 Sep. 2022 Cole said her daughter hoped to attend Florida State University and study mortuary science. Omari Daniels, Washington Post, 22 Nov. 2022 He is shown defeating Nubian and Asiatic foes—events echoed in the mortuary temple’s decorations. Bob Brier, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Oct. 2022
Noun
Like a sportswriter becoming a major league pitcher, or an obit writer opening a mortuary. Sam Roberts, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2024 Unlike live makeup, mortuary products are more like poster paints, chemically designed for the corpse, which has none of the moisture, oils, texture, or warmth of pulsing flesh. Kathleen Watt, Allure, 6 Dec. 2023 The funeral home, which was based in Colorado Springs and used a building in nearby Penrose where the bodies were found as a mortuary, was first licensed in 2017. Colleen Slevin, The Denver Post, 9 Feb. 2024 The bodies were taken to a mortuary on St. Vincent where post-mortems will officially determine the cause of death. Patrick Smith, NBC News, 5 Jan. 2024 Fuller was brazen in committing his crimes, taking risks during working hours when other employees were in the mortuary, the report said. Lawrence Richard, Fox News, 29 Nov. 2023 His parents were involved in the family mortuary business, which was founded in the 1870s. Brian Murphy, Washington Post, 18 Nov. 2023 Taken together, the discoveries provide evidence of a major cognitive step in human evolution in terms of mortuary practices and meaning-making. Samuel Axon and Ron Amadeo, Ars Technica, 5 June 2023 At state capital Bhubaneswar’s biggest hospital, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, large television screens displayed pictures of the dead to help desperate families who are scouring hospitals and mortuaries for friends and relatives. Reuters, NBC News, 7 June 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mortuary.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latin mortuarius of the dead, from mortuus dead

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1865, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mortuary was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near mortuary

Cite this Entry

“Mortuary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mortuary. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

mortuary

1 of 2 noun
mor·​tu·​ary ˈmȯr-chə-ˌwer-ē How to pronounce mortuary (audio)
plural mortuaries
: a place in which the bodies of the dead are kept until burial
especially : funeral home

mortuary

2 of 2 adjective
: of or relating to death or burial of the dead

Medical Definition

mortuary

1 of 2 adjective
mor·​tu·​ary ˈmȯr-chə-ˌwer-ē How to pronounce mortuary (audio)
1
: of or relating to the burial of the dead
2
: of, relating to, or characteristic of death

mortuary

2 of 2 noun
plural mortuaries
: a place in which dead bodies are kept and prepared for burial or cremation

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