Definition

A type of monument built to honor someone who has died, even though their body is not buried there.

Example

The city built a cenotaph to remember the soldiers who lost their lives in the war.

Conversation

Have you ever seen that cenotaph in the park?

Yeah, I passed by it the other day; it's really impressive.

I read it was built to honor some local heroes.

That makes sense; it definitely adds a lot of history to the area.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Cenotaph → It is formed from "kenos" (meaning empty) and "taphos" (meaning tomb). The word describes a tomb that is empty, as it is a monument erected in honor of a person whose remains are elsewhere.

Memory Tip

Think of an 'empty tomb' — 'kenos' means empty and 'taphos' means tomb, which helps you remember that a cenotaph is a monument for someone who is not buried there.

Visually Confused Words