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

There is a special memorial wall in Douglas Borough cemetery, filled with plaques to the 270 dead, as a reminder. —Greg O'Keeffe, New York Times, 29 May 2026

Immediately after burying her husband in the royal cemetery of Frogmore (as had been agreed by the deceased and his niece Elizabeth II), the widow returned home. —César Andrés Baciero, Vanity Fair, 29 May 2026

Volunteers carefully placed thousands of flags throughout the cemetery grounds, honoring the men and women who gave their lives in service to the nation, a news release stated. —News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 May 2026

On its walls are commemorated more than 72,000 British soldiers still missing from the war cemeteries that dot the landscape of the Somme valley, 72,000 people whose bodies were never identified from the carnage. —Literary Hub, 27 May 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"