noun
funeral
A ceremony honoring someone who has died, often before burial or cremation.
Friends and relatives gather at the funeral to share memories.
Etymology
The Latin ancestor already referred to burial or funeral rites. The English noun preserves the name for the ceremony attending a person’s death.
More examples
- She travels home to attend her grandmother's funeral.
- The family plans a small, private funeral.
- Guests sometimes wear bright colors to funerals to celebrate the person's life.
Forms
funeral · funerals
funerary adjective — Related to funerals or burial.