morgue

noun

ˈmȯrg 

1

: a place where the bodies of dead persons are kept temporarily pending identification or release for burial or autopsy

2

: a collection of reference works and files of reference material in a newspaper or news periodical office

Examples of morgue in a Sentence

old news stories found in a newspaper morgue

Recent Examples on the Web

Harvard will pay $53 million, establishing two settlement funds for families of anatomical donors whose remains were stolen and sold by former morgue manager Cedric Lodge in a black-market scheme. — Leah Willingham, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026

Prosecutors claim the body parts stolen from Harvard’s morgue were taken to Salem, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania. — Saleen Martin, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2026

Harvard University has agreed to pay a $53 million settlement after its former morgue manager stole and sold body parts donated for scientific research, with a court reportedly approving the plan on Tuesday. — CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026

The deal would resolve lawsuits brought by relatives of people whose remains were donated for research, then allegedly trafficked by a former morgue employee. — Danielle Douglas-Gabriel, Washington Post, 19 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

French

First Known Use

1795, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for morgue

• bourg
• faubourg

Kids Definition

morgue

noun

ˈmȯ(ə)rg 

1

: a place where the bodies of the dead are kept temporarily until they are identified or released for burial

2

: a department of a newspaper where reference material is filed

Medical Definition

morgue

noun

ˈmȯ(ə)rg 

: a place where the bodies of dead persons are kept temporarily pending identification or release for burial or autopsy

Legal Definition

morgue

noun

ˈmȯrg 

: a place where the bodies of persons found dead are kept until identified and claimed by relatives or released for burial or autopsy