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

The remains uncovered in February followed an earlier discovery of remains from 72 people who also were believed to have been buried at the former county hospital cemetery site, UC Davis Health officials said. — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 30 Sep. 2026

This decline is often captured sentimentally in memoirs about the Jewish South of a bygone era or photographs of Jewish cemeteries in various states of disrepair. — Ashley Walters, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2026

An extensive cemetery added to the impression of a flourishing urban center, as did what might have been part of a brewing complex found through selective excavations. — Anne Doran, ARTnews.com, 29 Sep. 2026

The Silverton cemetery contains the remains of more than a hundred avalanche victims. — Peter Hessler, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026

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
• apiary
• arbitrary
• aviary
• axillary
• bacillary
• beriberi
• bestiary
• breviary
• budgetary

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"