noun
interment
in-TER-ment
Interment (noun) means the burial of a dead body in a grave or tomb, especially as a formal ceremony. Example: “The interment will follow the service at the parish church.”
noun
1
formal The burial of a dead body in a grave or tomb, especially as a formal ceremony.
"The interment will follow the service at the parish church."
"Her ashes were kept at home until their interment the following spring."
"She was to be given a state funeral, followed by interment at Arlington National Cemetery."
— Stephen King, 11/22/63 (2011)
"The jaw indicates the beginning of a long tradition of the interment of dogs with people, which reveals a deep attachment between some people and canids."
— Tim Flannery, Europe: A Natural History (2018)
How to use interment
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishPutting a body or ashes into the ground or a tomb.
When to use it
Formal and largely confined to funeral notices, orders of service and legal documents. In ordinary speech people say burial.
Memory tip
One n, and the stress is on the middle syllable. If you can substitute burial, interment is the word you want.
Trace the full origin ↓
Easily confused with
Common pairings
private interment
interment of ashes
place of interment
interment will follow
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The _____ will follow the service at the parish church.
Etymology
From Old French enterrer, from Latin in- ("in") plus terra ("earth") — literally, putting into the earth.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for interment
See all rhymes for 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.
What is the meaning of interment?
"interment" (noun) means the burial of a dead body in a grave or tomb, especially as a formal ceremony.
