Death Definition, Prefix, Suffix, Ologies and Isms, Death Information and Meaning

See also BURIAL; CORPSES; KILLING

autophonomania

an obsession with suicide.

cerement, cerements

the cloth or clothing in which the dead are wrapped for burial or other form of funeral.

cinerarium

a place where the cremated remains of the dead are stored. —cinerary, adj.

columbarium

a vault where the remains of cremated bodies are kept, usually in one of a number of recesses in a wall.

crematorium, crematory

a place where cremations are done.

epitaph

1. an inscription on a monument, as on a gravestone.

2. a short piece of prose or verse written in honor of a dead person. —epitaphial, epitaphian, epitaphic, adj.

euthanasia

the deliberate killing of painfully ill or terminally ill people to put them out of their misery. Also called mercy killing.

ktenology

the science of putting people to death.

moribundity

1. the state or quality of being on the verge of death.

2. close to extinction or stagnant. —moribund, adj.

myriologue

an improvised funeral song, composed for the dead and sung by women in modern Greece. —myriologist, n. —myriologic, myriological, adj.

necrolatry

the worship of the dead.

necrology

1. an announcement of death; obituary.

2. a list of persons who have died within a certain time. Also necrologue. —necrologist, n.

necromancy

1. the magie practiced by a witch or sorcerer.

2. a form of divination through communication with the dead; the black art. Also nigromancy. —necromancer, necromant, nigromancien, n. —necromantie, adj.

necromania

an obsession with death or the dead.

necromimesis

an abnormal condition in which a person believes himself dead.

necrophilia, necrophilism

an abnormal, often sexual attraction toward the dead or a dead body. —necrophile, n.

necrophobia

an abnormal fear of death. Also called thanatophobia.

necrosis

the death or decay of body tissue, the result of loss of blood supply or trauma. —necrotic, adj.

nerterology

Rare. any learning that pertains to the dead.

ossuarium

a place or receptacle for the bones of the dead. Also called ossuary.

taphophilia, taphephilia

an excessive interest in graves and cemeteries.

thanatoid

resembling death; deathly.

thanatology

the study of death or the dead. Also thanatism. —thanatological, adj.

thanatomania

an obsession with death. See also necromania.

thanatophobia

necrophobia.

thanatopsis

a survey of or meditation upon death.

viaticum

the Eucharist given to one about to die; last rites or extreme unction. —viatic, viatical, adj.