burial

noun

buri·​al ˈber-ē-əl How to pronounce burial (audio)
ˈbe-rē-,
 also  ˈbər-ē-
often attributive
1
: grave, tomb
2
: the act or process of burying

Examples of burial in a Sentence

They prepared the body for burial. She wanted to give him a proper burial. Did you attend the burial? The law prohibits the burial of toxic substances without special permits.
Recent Examples on the Web Relatives of Ryan have set up a GoFundMe campaign to help yez,pay for his burial expenses. Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 8 June 2024 Burrell and Williams talked about how their own parents and grandparents purchased burial insurance, putting aside small amounts — sometimes just 50 cents a month — to hand the agent who regularly knocked on the door and initialed their savings book to note the payment. Joseph Shapiro, NPR, 8 June 2024 However, the burials’ similarity to other ancient sites suggests a different theory. Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 June 2024 The dead worker’s dependents, usually their spouse or children, may be able to qualify for death benefits and burial expenses from the workers’ compensation insurer. Maryam Jameel, ProPublica, 3 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for burial 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'burial.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English beriel, berial, back-formation from beriels (taken as a plural), from Old English byrgels; akin to Old Saxon burgisli tomb, Old English byrgan to bury — more at bury

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of burial was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near burial

Cite this Entry

“Burial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/burial. Accessed 13 Jun. 2024.

Kids Definition

burial

noun
buri·​al ˈber-ē-əl How to pronounce burial (audio)
: the act of burying

More from Merriam-Webster on burial

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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