obituary

noun

obit·​u·​ary ə-ˈbi-chə-ˌwer-ē  ō- 

-ˈbi-chə-rē

plural obituaries

: a notice of a person's death usually with a short biographical account

obituarist

ə-ˈbi-chə-ˌwər-ist, 

ō- 

-ˈbi-chə-rist

noun

obituary adjective

Synonyms of obituary

• obit
• epitaph
• inscription
• memorial

Examples of obituary in a Sentence

I read her obituary in the newspaper.

several obituaries for Herman Melville portrayed him as an obscure, largely forgotten author

Recent Examples on the Web

Smith died that same year, according to an obituary. —Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 27 Feb. 2026

Siegal earned Central Connecticut Conference All-Academic honors as junior and senior in soccer and as a junior in lacrosse at Hall, according to the obituary. —Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 27 Feb. 2026

Ann Godoff, the founder of Penguin Press and the editor of Ron Chernow, Zadie Smith, Salman Rushdie, and Thomas Pynchon, would have despised this obituary. —Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 26 Feb. 2026

More from The Providence Journal Find the latest obituaries here. —Will Richmond, The Providence Journal, 25 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin obituārium, noun derivative of Medieval Latin obituārius "of death, recording records or dates of death," from Latin obitu-, stem of obitus "death" + -ārius -ary entry 2 — more at obit

First Known Use

1703, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

obituary

noun

obit·​u·​ary ə-ˈbich-ə-ˌwer-ē 

plural obituaries

: a notice of a person's death (as in a newspaper)

obituary adjective