burial

noun

buri·​al ˈber-ē-əl 

ˈbe-rē-,

 also  ˈbər-ē-

often attributive

1

: grave, tomb

2

: the act or process of burying

Synonyms

• burying
• entombing
• entombment
• inhumation
• interment
• interring
• obsequy
• obsequies
• sepulture

Examples of burial in a Sentence

They prepared the body for burial.

She wanted to give him a proper burial.

Did you attend the burial?

The law prohibits the burial of toxic substances without special permits.

Recent Examples on the Web

Internal excavations confirmed the site as a royal burial chamber on Tuesday. —Francesca Aton For Artnews, Robb Report, 20 Feb. 2025

The newer burials, from the 14th and 15th centuries, are inside the chapel, while the older burials, some 1,200 years old, are outside and are made of pits, sometimes covered by a wooden piece or stone arrangement, archaeologists said. —Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 19 Feb. 2025

For days, workers with mechanical diggers have been preparing long trenches for burials. —Natasha Frost, New York Times, 6 Feb. 2025

Brooklyn, which provided vast amounts of produce, also witnessed the largest burial of slaves and later free people of African descent. —Herb Boyd, New York Daily News, 1 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English beriel, berial, back-formation from beriels (taken as a plural), from Old English byrgels; akin to Old Saxon burgisli tomb, Old English byrgan to bury — more at bury

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing burial

• burial ground
• burial plot

Rhymes for burial

• aerial
• areal
• ariel
• actuarial
• adversarial
• secretarial
• urticarial
• antimalarial
• biserial
• filarial
• malarial
• subaerial

Kids Definition

burial

noun

buri·​al ˈber-ē-əl 

: the act of burying