sarcophagus
noun
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Body-eating coffins might sound like something out of a horror film, but flesh-eating stone? The latter plays a role in the etymology of sarcophagus; it is the literal translation of líthos sarkóphagos, the Greek phrase that underlies the English term. The phrase traveled through Latin between Greek and English, taking on the form lapis sarcophagus before being shortened to sarcophagus. It's not clear whether the ancient Romans believed that a certain type of limestone from the region around Troy would dissolve flesh (and thus was desirable for making coffins). That assertion came from Roman scholar Pliny the Elder, but he also reported such phenomena as dog-headed people and elephants who wrote Greek. Regardless, there is no doubt that the ancient Greek word for the limestone combined sárx, meaning "flesh," with a derivative of phagein, a verb meaning "to eat."
Examples of sarcophagus in a Sentence
Nolan Finley, The Mercury News, 23 Oct. 2024
Related article The original occupant of an Egyptian sarcophagus was unknown.
—Taylor Nicioli, CNN, 12 Oct. 2024
The first-ever Disney Channel Original Movie, Under Wraps was released on Oct. 25, 1997, and starred Bill Fagerbakke as a mummy trying to reunite with his sarcophagus before the end of Halloween.
—Brendan Le, People.com, 9 Oct. 2024
The committee opted for Maggi Hambling’s bust of Wilde, which emerges from a bench-like granite sarcophagus inscribed with a quote from the writer’s play, Lady Windermere’s Fan.
—George Nelson, ARTnews.com, 23 Sep. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Sarcophagus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sarcophagus. Accessed 16 Nov. 2024.
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sarcophagus
noun
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