interment
ihn-TUR-muhnt
/ɪnˈtɜːrmənt/
The act or ritual of placing a deceased body into the earth or a tomb; burial.
A formal, elevated term for burial, often used in official announcements or church services.
The story behind the word. Derived from Medieval Latin 'interrare', formed from 'in-' (into) and 'terra' (earth or ground). It entered Middle English through Anglo-French 'enterrer', literally meaning 'to place into the earth'.
Word relationships
- burial: Burial is the everyday standard word; interment is formal and dignified.
- entombment: Entombment specifically means placing the body inside a crypt or tomb rather than in the soil.
- exhumation: The digging up of a buried body from the ground.
- disinterment: The formal removal of a body from its grave.
Commonly confused with
- internment: Internment (with two N's) is wartime imprisonment; interment (one N) is burial in terra (earth).
Word family
- inter (verb): To place a dead body in a grave or tomb.
Collocations
- private interment
- place of interment
- interment ceremony
- final interment
Example sentences
- "The interment will take place at Oakridge Cemetery following the morning mass." Formal announcement
- "The family requested a private interment with only immediate relatives present." Private family service
Memory hook
IN + TERRA (earth). Putting someone into the earth. Into the earth for eternal peace.
When not to use
Do not confuse with 'internment' (spelled with an extra 'n'), which means detaining or imprisoning someone during a war.
Fun facts
- Confusing 'interment' (burial) and 'internment' (confinement) is one of the most common spelling blunders in legal and news writing.
Related words
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