English Reference

Word

interment

Phoneticsin·ter·ment

UK/ɪntˈɜːmənt/

Definition

n. the act of burying a dead person in the ground. It is a formal word often used in legal or religious contexts.

n. the act of burying a corpse in the earth. Often used in legal, religious, or formal contexts to describe the final disposition of a deceased person.

Examples

“The family decided on a private interment at the local cemetery.”

“The historical records document the interment of the victims in a mass grave following the disaster.”

“While cremation has become more common in modern society, the traditional interment remains a significant ritual for many families seeking a permanent physical memorial.”

Examples

simple

“The family decided on a private interment at the local cemetery.”

contextual

“The historical records document the interment of the victims in a mass grave following the disaster.”

complex

“While cremation has become more common in modern society, the traditional interment remains a significant ritual for many families seeking a permanent physical memorial.”

Real-World Examples

“Practices shifted from individuals buried in coffins to reusing sites for later mummy interments.”
Ars Technica · 18 Aug 2026

Etymology

From Middle English enterement, interment, from Old French enterrement. By surface analysis, inter + -ment.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Word family

interVerbintermentNoun

Related words

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/interment

English Reference