sepulchre

1 of 2

noun

sep·​ul·​chre ˈse-pəl-kər 

variants or sepulcher

1

: a place of burial : tomb

2

: a receptacle for religious relics especially in an altar

sepulchre

2 of 2

verb

variants or sepulcher

sepulchred or sepulchered; sepulchring or sepulchering ˈse-pəl-k(ə-)riŋ 

transitive verb

1

archaic : to place in or as if in a sepulchre : bury

2

archaic : to serve as a sepulchre for

Did you know?

The history of sepulchre is a grave tale. The earliest evidence in our files traces sepulchre (also spelled sepulcher) back to Middle English around the beginning of the 13th century. It was originally spelled sepulcre, as it was in Anglo-French. Like many words borrowed into English from French, sepulchre has roots buried in Latin; in this case the root is sepelire, a verb meaning “to bury.” Sepultus, the past participle of sepelire, gave us—also by way of Anglo-French—the related noun sepulture, a synonym of burial and sepulchre, but one whose contemporary use is much rarer.

Synonyms

Noun

• burial
• grave
• sepulture
• tomb

Example Sentences

Noun

a poem describing the forgotten sepulcher of a valiant knight of the Middle Ages

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The Enclave, Buick’s large, three-row crossover, has been redesigned for 2018, allowing the automaker to finally place its predecessor in a sepulchre and seal the entrance. —Al Haas, Philly.com, 28 June 2018

The Garden Tomb, is believed by many to be the garden and sepulchre of Joseph of Arimathea, and therefore a possible site of the resurrection of Jesus. —Joe Yudin, Town & Country, 5 Oct. 2016

The Garden Tomb, is believed by many to be the garden and sepulchre of Joseph of Arimathea, and therefore a possible site of the resurrection of Jesus. —Joe Yudin, Town & Country, 5 Oct. 2016

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English sepulcre, from Anglo-French, from Latin sepulcrum, sepulchrum, from sepelire to bury; akin to Greek hepein to care for, Sanskrit saparyati he honors

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1591, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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