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Exhumation: meaning, definitions and examples

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exhumation

 

[ ɪɡˈzjuː.meɪ.ʃən ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

legal process

Exhumation refers to the act of digging up and removing a corpse from the grave. It is often performed for legal, scientific, or forensic reasons, such as the need to conduct an autopsy or to move a body to a different burial site.

Synonyms

digging up, disinterment, removal

Examples of usage

  • The exhumation was conducted to determine the cause of death.
  • Exhumation can be a controversial legal process.
  • The exhumation of the famous figure sparked public interest.
  • They planned an exhumation to complete the investigation.

Translations

Translations of the word "exhumation" in other languages:

🇵🇹 exumação

🇮🇳 निकालना

🇩🇪 Exhumation

🇮🇩 penggalian kembali

🇺🇦 екзгумація

🇵🇱 ekshumacja

🇯🇵 掘り起こし

🇫🇷 exhumation

🇪🇸 exhumación

🇹🇷 mezardan çıkarma

🇰🇷 발굴

🇸🇦 إخراج الجثة

🇨🇿 exhumace

🇸🇰 exhumácia

🇨🇳 尸体掘出

🇸🇮 ekshumacija

🇮🇸 grafaruppgröft

🇰🇿 эксгумация

🇬🇪 ექსჰუმაცია

🇦🇿 eksümasiya

🇲🇽 exhumación

Etymology

The term 'exhumation' originates from the Latin word 'exhumare', which means 'to dig out of the ground'. This is formed from 'ex-', meaning 'out of', and 'humus', meaning 'earth' or 'ground'. The use of the term has been traced back to legal contexts where the need to recover a body for investigation or relocation arose. Over time, the practice has been associated not only with legal and scientific investigations but also with historical archeological digs where ancient remains need to be studied. Exhumation has cultural significance in various societies, often connected to beliefs about death, burial rites, and the afterlife.

Word Frequency Rank

This word's position of #31,801 indicates it's among the more rare English words. While understanding it broadens your vocabulary, focus on more common words first.