morgue

noun

ˈmȯrg 

1

: a place where the bodies of dead persons are kept temporarily pending identification or release for burial or autopsy

2

: a collection of reference works and files of reference material in a newspaper or news periodical office

Examples of morgue in a Sentence

old news stories found in a newspaper morgue

Recent Examples on the Web

The parents of an Arizona toddler who was found alive in a hospital morgue after being pronounced dead will not face child abuse charges, the Maricopa County Attorney's Office announced Wednesday. — ABC News, 30 July 2026

The child, who was 18 months old at the time, was discovered alive in a hospital morgue hours later. — Jose R. Gonzalez, USA Today, 30 July 2026

Officials finally directed her to a port facility that had been turned into an emergency morgue after countless bodies were unearthed from the rubble in the days following the earthquake. — Susana Erazo, CNN Money, 17 July 2026

Rodríguez also said officials continue comparing hospital admissions, morgue records and reports submitted by relatives in an effort to identify people who remain unaccounted for. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 13 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

French

First Known Use

1795, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for morgue

• bourg
• faubourg

Kids Definition

morgue

noun

ˈmȯ(ə)rg 

1

: a place where the bodies of the dead are kept temporarily until they are identified or released for burial

2

: a department of a newspaper where reference material is filed

Medical Definition

morgue

noun

ˈmȯ(ə)rg 

: a place where the bodies of dead persons are kept temporarily pending identification or release for burial or autopsy

Legal Definition

morgue

noun

ˈmȯrg 

: a place where the bodies of persons found dead are kept until identified and claimed by relatives or released for burial or autopsy