mummify

mum·mi·fy | \ ˈmə-mi-ˌfī

How to pronounce mummify (audio)

\

mummified; mummifying

Definition of mummify

transitive verb

1 : to embalm and dry as or as if a mummy

2a : to make into or like a mummy

b : to cause to dry up and shrivel

intransitive verb

: to dry up and shrivel like a mummy

Other Words from mummify Example Sentences Learn More about mummify

Keep scrolling for more

Examples of mummify in a Sentence

learning how ancient Egyptians mummified their dead a body that mummified in the desert heat a body that was mummified by the desert heat

Recent Examples on the Web Experts say the bodies likely were mummified because of the climate in the area, The Sun added. — Fox News, "500-year-old frozen bodies are ‘North America’s best preserved mummies’," 2 Oct. 2019 Bergstrom frequently sees mummified seals in the valleys, as the cold, dry atmosphere preserves their bodies. — Washington Post, "As summer in Antarctica nears, scientists train to endure punishing conditions," 24 Sep. 2019 A few of them died within their dens and, through a rare process of being buried and then frozen, became mummified. — Anchorage Daily News, "Mummy squirrel tells of a different Alaska 20,000 years ago," 24 Aug. 2019 Elsewhere, King Stephen’s mummified right hand (it was found uncorrupted after his death and is regarded as a holy relic) was being readied to go on parade in its jeweled reliquary. — Jacob Mikanowski, Harper's magazine, "The Call of the Drums," 21 July 2019 The mummy, which has been dated to around 3700 to 3500 BC, was thought to have been naturally mummified by Egypt’s hot, dry desert sand. — James Rogers, Fox News, "Egyptian mummy reveals incredible embalming 'recipe'," 16 Aug. 2018 Morales said the bodies were essentially mummified, cooked by the extreme heat. — Sonia Perez D., chicagotribune.com, "Grim task as forensic experts ID Guatemala volcano victims; death toll hits 110," 8 June 2018 In 2009, however, CT scans revealed that Ötzi’s stomach had been pushed upwards as his body mummified. — Brigit Katz, Smithsonian, "Before He Died, Ötzi the Iceman Ate a Greasy, Fatty Meal," 13 July 2018 The skin near the back was also mummified and embedded with five vertebrae pieces. — New York Times, "The Baby’s Hand Was Mummified. Why Wasn’t the Rest of Its Body?," 18 May 2018

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

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about mummify

Dictionary Entries near mummify

Statistics for mummify

Last Updated

19 Nov 2019

Cite this Entry

“Mummify.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mummify?pronunciation&lang=en_us&dir=m&file=mummif01. Accessed 15 December 2019.

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for mummify

mummify

verb

English Language Learners Definition of mummify

: to preserve (a dead body) by treating it with oils and wrapping it in strips of cloth

: to become very dry and wrinkled

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

mummify

mum·mi·fy | \ ˈməm-i-ˌfī

\

mummified; mummifying

Medical Definition of mummify

transitive verb

1 : to embalm and dry as or as if a mummy

2a : to make into or like a mummy

b : to cause to dry up and shrivel

intransitive verb

: to dry up and shrivel like a mummy a mummified fetus

WORD OF THE DAY

delectation

delight or enjoyment

Test Your Vocabulary

Great Scrabble Words—A Quiz

Which of the following Q-without-U words means the number five in cards or dice?

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.