# resurrection

/ˌɹɛzɝˈɛkʃən/ (US) · /ɹɪsəɹˈɛkʃən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/resurrection
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 3. bodysnatching

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Technical

the old, illegal act of stealing dead bodies from graves.

For teachers: the illicit exhumation of a cadaver from a burial site, typically for anatomical study.

- In the 1800s, laws were passed to stop the resurrection of bodies for medical schools.
- The dark history of medical science includes the practice of resurrection, where men were paid to provide fresh specimens to surgeons.

## Examples

- The story tells of the hero's miraculous resurrection.
- The old factory underwent a complete resurrection, transforming from a ruin into a modern art gallery.
- Theological debates often center on whether the resurrection described in the texts is intended to be understood as a literal physical event or a symbolic spiritual renewal.

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