cemetery

noun

cem·​e·​tery ˈse-mə-ˌter-ē 

-ˌte-rē

plural cemeteries

: a burial ground

Synonyms

• boneyard
• God's acre
• graveyard
• memorial park
• necropolis
• potter's field

Examples of cemetery in a Sentence

many of the soldiers who died in the battle are buried in a cemetery nearby

Recent Examples on the Web

Stories about a 153-year-old church in the Ben Davis neighborhood still serving its community after being devastated by fires and a tornado through the decades, or the generational caretakers of a Westwood neighborhood cemetery. —The Indianapolis Star, 25 Nov. 2024

The case went cold until 2016, when police exhumed the remains from a remote corner of a cemetery in Lebanon, Pennsylviana, to obtain her DNA. —Dalia Faheid, CNN, 24 Nov. 2024

Below, a small cemetery, and beyond, the sprawl of greater Kyoto in the fading afternoon light. —Matt Goulding, Travel + Leisure, 24 Nov. 2024

Researchers were tooling around this second century Roman cemetery and found a body. —Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 20 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English cimitery, from Anglo-French cimiterie, from Late Latin coemeterium, from Greek koimētērion sleeping chamber, burial place, from koiman to put to sleep; akin to Greek keisthai to lie, Sanskrit śete he lies

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

cemetery

noun

cem·​e·​tery ˈsem-ə-ˌter-ē 

plural cemeteries

: a place where dead people are buried : graveyard

Etymology

Middle English cimitery "cemetery," from early French cimiterie (same meaning), from Latin coemeterium "cemetery," from Greek koimētērion "sleeping chamber, burial place," from koiman "to put to sleep"