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noun B2 Upper-Intermediate Uncommon

obituary

uh-BIHT-shuu-ree

Obituary (noun) means a published notice of someone's death, often with a summary of their life, usually appearing in a newspaper. Example: “His obituary described his decades of charity work.”

noun
1
A published notice of someone's death, often with a summary of their life, usually appearing in a newspaper.
"His obituary described his decades of charity work."
"The newspaper's obituary section ran three columns that day."

How to use obituary

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA write-up marking someone's death, usually summarising their life.

Common pairings
write an obituary obituary section read the obituaries

Word forms

more obituary comparative, obituaries plural, most obituary superlative

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His _____ described his decades of charity work.

Etymology

From Medieval Latin obituarius, built on Latin obitus ("death, a going down") plus the suffix -arius.

Origin: Medieval Latin

Related words

Rhymes for obituary

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Frequently asked questions

What does “obituary” mean?

The word “obituary” means a published notice of someone's death, often with a summary of their life, usually appearing in a newspaper. In plain terms, a write-up marking someone's death, usually summarising their life.

How do you pronounce “obituary”?

“Obituary” is pronounced uh-BIHT-shuu-ree (/əˈbɪt͡ʃəˌwɛɹi/ in IPA).

How do you use “obituary” in a sentence?

Here is “obituary” used in a sentence: “His obituary described his decades of charity work.”

What part of speech is “obituary”?

“Obituary” is a noun.

Where does the word “obituary” come from?

The word “obituary” comes from Medieval Latin. From Medieval Latin obituarius, built on Latin obitus ("death, a going down") plus the suffix -arius.

Is “obituary” a common word?

“Obituary” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

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