disinter

verb

dis·in·ter | \ ˌdis-in-ˈtər

How to pronounce disinter (audio)

\

disinterred; disinterring; disinters

Definition of disinter

transitive verb

1 : to take out of the grave or tomb

2 : to bring back into awareness or prominence also : to bring to light : unearth

Other Words from disinter Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about disinter

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Synonyms & Antonyms for disinter

Synonyms

exhume,
unearth

Antonyms

Examples of disinter in a Sentence

The body was disinterred for further study. the Egyptian mummy was carefully disinterred in hopes that it would yield secrets about the Old Kingdom

Recent Examples on the Web If the money did not come, the cemetery disinterred the remains. — The Economist, "Death and taxes Mexico’s missing mummy mystery," 28 May 2020 In recent years, some of these human remains have reappeared aboveground: Erosion of the Hart Island shoreline has caused bones to be disinterred and scattered along the beachfront. — Jody Rosen, New York Times, "How Covid-19 Has Forced Us to Look at the Unthinkable," 29 Apr. 2020 Her father’s body was one of seven disinterred last year and taken to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware for a forensic autopsy generally performed in cases of violent or suspicious deaths. — Matt Zapotosky, BostonGlobe.com, "Grand jury convened in probe of 11 deaths thought to involve insulin injections at W.Va. Veterans Affairs hospital," 30 Jan. 2020 In 2009, a detective, hoping to use new DNA analysis methods to find a new lead, arranged for the body to be disinterred, according to court documents. — NBC News, "Police lifted DNA from her trash and charged her with a baby's 1981 murder. She says that was illegal.," 15 Mar. 2020 In 1986, developers disinterred the remains of 72 people near Nacogdoches Road and Loop 1604 without the family’s consent. — Vincent T. Davis, ExpressNews.com, "Conservationists and descendants explore forgotten San Antonio African American cemetery," 12 Jan. 2020 The coffin had been donated by Till’s mother after the 14-year-old lynching victim was disinterred and reburied. — National Geographic, "How to remember such a long-ago sacrafice?," 11 Nov. 2019 Cry of the undead As illustrated by the story of Arnold Paole, popular belief held that to kill a vampire, the corpse had to be disinterred and pierced with a stake. — Oscar Urbiola, National Geographic, "How did 18th-century vampire hunters identify the undead? Blood and fingernails," 29 Oct. 2019 Those remains were then buried at two cemeteries, but disinterred in September 1947 and moved to the Central Identification Laboratory by the staff of the American Graves Registration Service. — Ivana Hrynkiw | Ihrynkiw@al.com, al, "Remains of Navy veteran killed in Pearl Harbor back in Alabama," 17 Oct. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'disinter.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near disinter

disintegrationist

Statistics for disinter

Cite this Entry

“Disinter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disinter. Accessed 11 May. 2021.

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More Definitions for disinter

disinter

verb

English Language Learners Definition of disinter

formal : to take (a body) out of a grave or tomb : to dig up (a body)

See the full definition for disinter in the English Language Learners Dictionary

disinter

transitive verb

dis·in·ter | \ ˌdis-ᵊn-ˈtər

\

Medical Definition of disinter

: to take out of the grave or tomb

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