# sepulchre

/sˈɛpʌlkɐ/ (UK) · CEFR C2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/sepulchre
Updated: 2026-10-17

## Definition

a stone tomb where a dead person is buried, often cut into rock or built long ago. You mostly see this word in old stories, history books, or the Bible.

For teachers: a stone tomb or burial chamber, typically cut from rock or built to hold a body or coffin. Now found chiefly in literary, biblical, and historical contexts.

## Examples

- They place flowers outside the old sepulchre.
- The guide leads visitors down stone steps to the ancient sepulchre beneath the church.
- Whitewashed sepulchres line the hillside, their sealed doors recalling centuries of mourning rituals that still shape the village calendar.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.