Meaning & use

sarcophagus

noun·Advanced

A stone coffin, often decorated with carvings or inscriptions, used especially in ancient burials.

See it in a sentence

Archaeologists carefully opened the sarcophagus to examine the mummy inside.

The museum's Egyptian wing displays a sarcophagus carved with hieroglyphics.

A note on using this word

The plural is 'sarcophagi,' and the word is most associated with ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman burial practices.

Words with a similar meaning

coffincasket

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

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