exhume

verb

ex·​hume ig-ˈzüm 

igz-ˈyüm,

iks-ˈ(h)yüm 

exhumed; exhuming

transitive verb

1

: disinter

exhume a body

2

: to bring back from neglect or obscurity

exhumed a great deal of information from the archives

exhumation

ˌeks-(h)yü-ˈmā-shən 

ˌeg-zü-

ˌegz-yü- 

noun

exhumer

ig-ˈzü-mər 

igz-ˈyü-

iks-ˈ(h)yü-

noun

Synonyms

• unearth

Examples of exhume in a Sentence

the remains of John Paul Jones were exhumed in Paris and transported with great ceremony to the U.S. Naval Academy

Recent Examples on the Web

So, here's to August Wilson, who exhumed and exalted the ordinary people. —Lydia Price, People.com, 2 Mar. 2025

Investigators in Detroit exhumed the bodies of unidentified victims to obtain DNA to help solve cold cases. —Michael Kaplan, CBS News, 16 June 2025

None of this is definitive, but exhuming Goldie’s body to collect and test some tissues could rule out (or rule in) a number of their lines of inquiry. —Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2025

The body was exhumed in March 2023, brought across the Atlantic Ocean and then positively identified on Jan. 25 at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska. —Jim Woods, Chicago Tribune, 23 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Medieval Latin exhumare, from Latin ex out of + humus earth — more at ex-, humble

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for exhume

• assume
• backroom
• ballroom
• barroom
• bathroom
• bedroom
• boardroom
• bridegroom
• classroom
• cloakroom
• consume
• costume

Kids Definition

exhume

verb

ex·​hume igz-ˈ(y)üm 

iks-ˈ(h)yüm

exhumed; exhuming

: to remove from a place of burial

exhumation

ˌeks-(h)yü-ˈmā-shən 

ˌegz-(y)ü-

noun

Medical Definition

exhume

transitive verb

ex·​hume igz-ˈ(y)üm  iks-ˈ(h)yüm 

exhumed; exhuming

: disinter

the body was exhumed for an autopsy

exhumation

ˌeks-(h)yü-ˈmā-shən  ˌegz-(y)ü- 

noun