hearse

1 of 2

noun

ˈhərs 

1

a

: an elaborate framework erected over a coffin or tomb to which memorial verses or epitaphs are attached

b

: a triangular candelabra for 15 candles used especially at Tenebrae

2

a

archaic : coffin

b

obsolete : bier sense 1

3

: a vehicle for conveying the dead to the grave

hearse

2 of 2

verb

hearsed; hearsing

transitive verb

1

a

archaic : to place on or in a hearse

b

: to convey in a hearse

2

: bury

Did you know?

The Evolution of Hearse

Medieval French used the word herce for a harrow, a farm tool used to break up and smooth the soil. Herce was also applied to a triangular frame that was used for holding candles. Herce was borrowed into Middle English as herse. In those days, a large and decorative framework might be raised over the tomb or coffin of an honored person. Because this framework was often decorated with candles, the word herse was applied to it. A series of slightly changed meanings led to the use of herse (Modern English hearse) for a platform for a corpse or coffin, and from that to a vehicle to carry the dead. The verb hearse emerged late in the 16th century.

Synonyms

Verb

• bury
• entomb
• inhume
• inter
• lay
• put away
• tomb

Examples of hearse in a Sentence

Verb

the cemetery hearses an average of eight bodies a week

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Image Members of his team described difficulty persuading a church, a cemetery and even a hearse to take part in the burial, saying that the authorities wanted to prevent Mr. Navalny’s funeral from becoming a flashpoint for dissent. —Valerie Hopkins, New York Times, 1 Mar. 2024

The tenant also had an inoperable hearse in the backyard of the home. —Sarah Moon, CNN, 17 Feb. 2024

Melania Trump and her father went into the black SUV waiting for them, just behind the hearse. —Kristina Webb, USA TODAY, 18 Jan. 2024

Now, he’s charged February 28, 2024 12:49 PM Read Next Funeral home owner kept body in hearse for nearly 2 years, CO cops say. —Jennifer Rodriguez, Kansas City Star, 25 Mar. 2024

Some of the remains were found in temporary urns — black plastic boxes — in the home’s crawl space, a moving truck and an inoperable hearse parked in the backyard, Denver Police Cmdr. —Christine Pelisek, Peoplemag, 19 Feb. 2024

The pair borrowed a hearse from one of Knight’s friends and pretended to be undertakers to transport Riva’s body to the funeral home with a tiny lil’ pitstop in Jimmy’s autopsy suite to confirm the coroner’s findings. —EW.com, 12 Feb. 2024

The pallbearers lifted the casket into the hearse, as Knavs and the Trumps stood in a row along the curb of South Ocean Boulevard, the shutters of photographers across the street clicking as about a dozen members of the press shifted places on the sidewalk to jockey for clear image. —Kristina Webb, USA TODAY, 18 Jan. 2024

Clark said the woman’s body had been in the hearse since shortly after death until its recent discovery. —Daniella Segura, Sacramento Bee, 23 Feb. 2024

Verb

Then, as preparations for Friday's funeral began, funeral homes and hearse drivers allegedly received threats. —Nick Spicer, NPR, 1 Mar. 2024

Funeral for Melania Trump's mother today; Palm Beach warns of traffic around church Her casket — carrying the woman whose cooking former President Trump credited with making his youngest son 6 feet, 7 inches tall — arrived in a black Cadillac hearse Thursday morning. —Kristina Webb, USA TODAY, 18 Jan. 2024

All of this is performed in a 135,000-square-foot factory in the dankest recesses of Lima, Ohio, by S&S Superior, a company that has been building hearses for 71 years. —John Phillips, Car and Driver, 26 Aug. 2023

Meanwhile, most ambulance services were operated by morticians, because hearses were roomy enough for people to lie flat. —Dhruv Khullar, The New Yorker, 12 July 2023

On Thursday, two hearses carrying the bodies of Shaeed Woodard and Zindell Brown crossed the international bridge to Brownsville, where the remains were handed over to U.S. authorities, according to The Associated Press. —Dianne Solis, Dallas News, 10 Mar. 2023

Organ donor's body saves driver as crash leaves hearse dangling over canyon Organ donor's body saves driver as crash leav... —CBS News, 18 Apr. 2023

Detectives and evidence technicians remained in the home collecting evidence late Tuesday, long after hearses had left the driveway. —Doha Madani, NBC News, 20 Apr. 2023

On Thursday, two hearses carrying the bodies of Woodard and Brown crossed the international bridge to Brownsville, where the remains were handed over to U.S. authorities. —James Pollard, Fortune, 10 Mar. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English herse, from Anglo-French herce harrow, frame for holding candles, from Latin hirpic-, hirpex harrow

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1592, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

hearse

noun

ˈhərs

: a vehicle for conveying the dead to the grave

Etymology

Noun

Middle English herse "a triangular frame for holding candles," from early French herce "frame for holding candles, harrow," from Latin hirpex "harrow"

Word Origin

An early form of French used the word herce for a harrow, a farm tool used to break up and smooth the soil. Herce was also applied to a triangular frame that was similar in shape to the frame of a harrow and was used for holding candles. Herce was borrowed into English as hearse, and both the literal sense of "harrow" and the extended sense of "a frame for holding candles" were kept. In those days a large and decorative framework might be raised over the tomb or coffin of an honored person. Because this framework was often decorated with candles, the word hearse was applied to it. A series of slightly changed meanings led to the use of hearse for a platform for a corpse or coffin, and from that to a vehicle to carry the dead to the grave.