ENGLISH
REFERENCE

tomb

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈtum// UK //tˈuːm// tomb

n. a large stone room or hole in the ground where a dead person is buried. It is often built to last a long time and might be decorated.

n. an enclosure for a corpse, typically cut into rock or built of stone above or below ground. Often implies a structure of significant size or architectural importance.


SIMPLE

The archaeologists discovered an ancient tomb hidden under the sand.

CONTEXTUAL

Visitors must remain quiet when entering the royal tomb to show respect for the historical site.

COMPLEX

The discovery of the intact tomb provided researchers with an unprecedented glimpse into the funerary customs and social hierarchy of the lost civilization.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle English tombe, toumbe, borrowed from Old French tombe, from Latin tumba from Ancient Greek τύμβος (túmbos, “a sepulchral mound, tomb, grave”), probably from Proto-Indo-European *tewh₂- (“to swell”). The verb is from Middle English tomben.

Usage

Commonly used in historical or archaeological contexts; 'grave' is more frequent for modern burials.

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