disinterment

Upper-Intermediate (B2)

IPA: /dɪsˈɪntɜːrmənt/

KK: /dɪsˈɪntɜrmənt/

noun

Definition

The act of removing a body from a grave or tomb.

Example

The disinterment of the remains was conducted with great care and respect.

Conversation

Did you hear about the recent disinterment at the old cemetery?

No, I didn't! What happened?

They found some really interesting artifacts from the past during the disinterment.

That sounds fascinating! I would love to know more about what they discovered.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

exhumation

digging

unearthing

Antonyms

interment

burial

entombment

Root Explanation

Disinterment → It is formed from "dis-" (meaning apart) and "inter" (from Latin "interrare", meaning to bury). The word describes the act of taking something out of the ground, specifically referring to the exhumation of a body.

Memory Tip

Think of 'dis-' meaning apart and 'inter' meaning to bury — so disinterment is the act of taking something that was buried out of the ground.

Visually Confused Words

misinterment