cemetery

noun

cem·​e·​tery ˈse-mə-ˌter-ē 

-ˌte-rē

plural cemeteries

: a burial ground

Synonyms

• graveyard

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

The 90-acre, 1849 cemetery is open daily from Monday to Friday and offers several types of walking tours. —Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 5 Oct. 2025

Monster is pretty consistent with the details of the atrocities Gein confessed to, including hanging Bernice’s body up in a shed, shooting Mary Hogan, and grave-robbing from the cemetery. —Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 4 Oct. 2025

Somehow, Randy traveled about 80 miles from Houston and ended up in Beaumont where he was found in a cemetery, KHOU said. —Tj MacIas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Oct. 2025

He was found in a grave with an unrelated adult male in a small cemetery that was in use for around 100 years, with his burial dated between 605 CE to 650 CE. —Duncan Sayer, JSTOR Daily, 2 Oct. 2025

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

Rhymes for cemetery

• accessary
• adversary
• ancillary
• arbitrary
• aviary
• axillary
• beriberi
• breviary
• budgetary
• capillary
• catenary
• cautionary

Kids Definition

cemetery

noun

cem·​e·​tery ˈsem-ə-ˌter-ē 

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"