Definition

A person who prepares a dead body for burial by treating it with chemicals to preserve it.

Example

The embalmer carefully prepared the body for the funeral service.

Conversation

Have you ever thought about what an embalmer actually does?

Not really, but I guess they prepare bodies for funerals, right?

Yeah, it's a pretty important job in the funeral industry.

Definitely! It must take a lot of training to become a skilled embalmer.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Embalmer → It is formed from "em-" (a variant of "in-", meaning in or into) and "balm" (from Latin "balsamum", meaning a fragrant resin used for healing or preservation) and the suffix "-er" (meaning a person who). The word "embalmer" refers to a person who prepares a body for burial by using a preservative substance, often a balm.

Memory Tip

Think of someone putting a fragrant 'balm' into a body to preserve it — 'em-' means into, and '-er' indicates a person. This helps you remember that an embalmer is someone who preserves a body.

Visually Confused Words