ossuary

noun

os·​su·​ary ˈä-shə-ˌwer-ē 

-syə-, 

-sə-

plural ossuaries

: a depository for the bones of the dead

Examples of ossuary in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

On show at a medieval ossuary (burial ground), her paintings are less about capturing reality than conveying a sense of place and emotion, drawing comparisons with Claude Monet’s exploration of light, landscape and atmosphere. — Joanne Shurvell, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026

The careful arrangement of ossuaries within the dolmen suggests communal burial practices and sophisticated ceremonial planning, providing archaeologists with invaluable insight into societal structures in prehistoric Iberia. — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 27 Sep. 2025

Depictions like these have only ever been found on ossuaries (chambers for storing human remains), and even then, those paintings usually only show two priests. — Sarah Durn, Popular Science, 17 Sep. 2025

The city’s extensive labyrinth of catacombs was nearby as well, underground ossuaries crammed full of the skeletal remains of millions of Parisians. — Anelise Chen june 3, Literary Hub, 3 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin ossuarium, from Latin, neuter of ossuarius of bones, from Old Latin ossua, plural of oss-, os

First Known Use

1658, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for ossuary

• askari
• astbury
• azeri
• banbury
• barberry
• blackberry
• blueberry
• canary
• cranberry
• dentary
• dewberry
• dogberry