cemetery

noun

cem·​e·​tery ˈse-mə-ˌter-ē 

-ˌte-rē

plural cemeteries

: a burial ground

Synonyms of cemetery

• 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

Singapore’s gamblers have long been known to visit cemeteries in the dead of night to divine winning lottery numbers. —Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 23 Nov. 2025

Just before Veterans Day, controversy erupted over what has been reported as the quiet removal by the cemetery of two panels related to the Black soldiers that had been up for a year in the visitor’s center. —Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 15 Nov. 2025

Greenlawn was a collection of four cemeteries — the old burying ground, new burying ground or Union cemetery, Peck's Ground and Greenlawn. —Alexandria Burris, IndyStar, 14 Nov. 2025

Relatives had previously considered removing Piga’s body from the cemetery, which was reportedly condemned by Plains Township in 2015, according to WBRE. —Joshua Rhett Miller, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Nov. 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"