open casket funeral

Meaning

1. 1nouncountableAmerican

   A funeral at which the dead person's body lies in an open coffin so that mourners can see them before burial or cremation.

   Grammar: Countable: an open casket funeral, two open casket funerals.

   Patterns

   • have an open casket funeral
   • attend an open casket funeral

   The family chose an open casket funeral so friends could say goodbye.

   She had never attended an open casket funeral before.

   At the open casket funeral, mourners lined up quietly to pay their respects.

Word forms

Common combinations

hold an open casket funeral

They decided to hold an open casket funeral for their father.

choose an open casket funeral

Some families choose an open casket funeral to help with grief.

attend an open casket funeral

He was nervous to attend an open casket funeral.

open casket viewing

An open casket viewing took place the evening before.

traditional open casket funeral

A traditional open casket funeral is common in some communities.

Synonyms and how they differ

viewing

A viewing is the time when people look at the body, which may be before the funeral, while an open casket funeral includes the service itself.

wake

A wake is a gathering before the funeral and may or may not include an open casket.

open coffin funeral

This is the British wording, with coffin used where Americans say casket.

Opposites

Word family

casket noun

the box in which a dead person is buried

funeral noun

a ceremony for a dead person

closed casket noun

a coffin that stays shut during the service

mourner noun

a person who attends a funeral to grieve

Commonly confused: open casket funeral or closed casket funeral?

Practice

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