cemetery

noun

cem·​e·​tery ˈse-mə-ˌter-ē How to pronounce cemetery (audio)
-ˌte-rē
plural cemeteries
Synonyms of cemetery
: a burial ground

Synonyms of cemetery

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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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
All four of his grandparents are buried in El Limón cemetery. — Hira Humayun, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026 Hundreds of mourners later gathered at Rehman Baba cemetery for mass funeral prayers as grief gripped the neighborhood and announcements echoed from mosque loudspeakers, urging residents to join in prayers for those killed. — Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026 To judge from the lines of young, very devoted fans snaking around the cemetery, Geese has already built the requisite subculture to thrive longer-term. — Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026 Grace Episcopal Church says its centuries-old cemetery has room for only 14 more burials. — Jennifer McLogan, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cemetery

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

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

Rhymes for cemetery

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Browse Nearby Words

cemeterial
cemetery
CEMF
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Cite this Entry

“Cemetery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cemetery. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

cemetery

noun
cem·​e·​tery ˈsem-ə-ˌter-ē How to pronounce cemetery (audio)
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"

More from Merriam-Webster on cemetery

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cemetery

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