interment
4 synonyms and 3 antonyms for interment, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — The burial of a dead body in a grave or tomb, especially as a formal ceremony.
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.
Antonyms
How to use interment
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Formal and largely confined to funeral notices, orders of service and legal documents. In ordinary speech people say burial.
Etymology
From Old French enterrer, from Latin in- ("in") plus terra ("earth") — literally, putting into the earth.
Full origin of interment →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between interment and internment?
Interment is burial of the dead. Internment is the confinement of living people without trial, usually during a war or emergency. They differ by a single letter and are among the most commonly confused pairs in English.
Does interment only mean burial in the ground?
Not strictly. It covers placing remains in a tomb, mausoleum or columbarium niche as well as a grave. Interment of ashes is a standard phrase on funeral orders of service.
Is interment the same as a funeral?
No. The funeral is the service of remembrance; the interment is the act of placing the body or ashes in its resting place. The two often happen on the same day, with the interment following the service.