funeral
FYOO-nuh-ruhl
Funeral (noun) means a ceremony held to honor someone who has died, typically with the body present. Example: “Hundreds of people attended the firefighter's funeral.”
noun
1
A ceremony held to honor someone who has died, typically with the body present.
"Hundreds of people attended the firefighter's funeral."
"The funeral was held at the church where she had worshipped for forty years."
"Everyone wore black to the funeral and spoke quietly outside the chapel."
2
A sermon delivered as part of such a ceremony.
"The priest gave a moving funeral that brought the whole congregation to tears."
How to use funeral
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe ceremony held after someone dies, distinct from a memorial service because the body is usually present.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
attend a funeral
funeral service
funeral home
plan a funeral
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Word forms
- Plural
- funerals
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Hundreds of people attended the firefighter's _____.
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."
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for funeral
feral
literal
general
liberal
lateral
mineral
federal
several
visceral
ephemeral
bilateral
collateral
See all rhymes for 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.
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