funeral
5 synonyms for funeral, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A ceremony held to honor someone who has died, typically with the body present.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use funeral
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
attend a funeral
funeral service
funeral home
plan a funeral
Etymology
From Middle French funerailles ("funeral rites"), tracing back to Latin funus ("funeral, death, corpse"). It replaced the older English term līcþeġnung, literally "dead body service."
Full origin of funeral →Frequently asked questions
What does “funeral” mean?
The word “funeral” means a ceremony held to honor someone who has died, typically with the body present. In plain terms, the ceremony held after someone dies, distinct from a memorial service because the body is usually present.
How do you pronounce “funeral”?
“Funeral” is pronounced FYOO-nuh-ruhl (/ˈfju.nəɹ.əl/ in IPA).
How do you use “funeral” in a sentence?
Here is “funeral” used in a sentence: “Hundreds of people attended the firefighter's funeral.”
What part of speech is “funeral”?
“Funeral” is a noun.
Where does the word “funeral” come from?
The word “funeral” comes from Latin. From Middle French funerailles ("funeral rites"), tracing back to Latin funus ("funeral, death, corpse"). It replaced the older English term līcþeġnung, literally "dead body service.".
Is “funeral” a common word?
“Funeral” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “funeral” have?
“Funeral” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a ceremony held to honor someone who has died, typically with the body present.
What is the difference between a funeral and a memorial service?
A funeral is a ceremony held to honour someone who has died, typically with the body present. A memorial service honours the person without the body present and may take place weeks or even months after the death.
What is the difference between a funeral and a wake?
The funeral is the formal ceremony itself. A wake is a gathering of family and friends — traditionally held before the funeral, often with the body present — though today many wakes are receptions held after the ceremony.
