canopic jar

noun

ca·​no·​pic jar kə-ˈnō-pik- How to pronounce canopic jar (audio) -ˈnä- How to pronounce canopic jar (audio)
: a jar in which the ancient Egyptians preserved the viscera of a deceased person usually for burial with the mummy

Illustration of canopic jar

Illustration of canopic jar

Examples of canopic jar in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web While most prior similar studies focused on samples gleaned from the bandages and tissues of actual mummies, this latest study focuses on the balms used to embalm accompanying organs stored in canopic jars. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 6 Sep. 2023 Enlarge / One of the limestone canopic jars that once held mummified organs of the Egyptian noblewoman Senetnay (c. 1450 BCE). Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 6 Sep. 2023 This limestone canopic jar contained the organs of Egyptian noblewoman Senetnay preserved in balm. Popular Science, 31 Aug. 2023 These specialists determined that the stone sculpture is the lid to an Egyptian canopic jar, depicting the funeral deity Imsety. Ella Feldman, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Aug. 2022 This Egyptian canopic jar lid, which was seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in Tennessee, could be up to 3,000 years old. Sophie Reardon, CBS News, 27 Aug. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'canopic jar.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Canopus, Egyptian

First Known Use

1893, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of canopic jar was in 1893

Dictionary Entries Near canopic jar

Cite this Entry

“Canopic jar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/canopic%20jar. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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