Exhume: meaning, definitions and examples

Typically used in a formal or legal context when referring to the removal of a body from its burial place, often for investigation or examination.

• The police had to exhume the body to gather more evidence.
• The historical society sought permission to exhume the ancient remains.

More informal and general term, can be used for uncovering anything buried, not just bodies. It can also be used metaphorically for discovering information.

• We need to dig up the backyard to find the broken pipe.
• The journalist managed to dig up some interesting details about the politician's past.

Used in a broader sense, both literally and figuratively. It can mean discovering something naturally buried or hidden, including artifacts, secrets, or facts.

• They unearthed a thousand-year-old pottery during the excavation.
• The reporter unearthed new evidence in the case.

A formal term similar to 'exhume', often used in legal, medical, or forensic contexts. It specifically refers to the act of removing a body from its grave.

• The court ordered to disinter the grave for a new autopsy.
• Archaeologists disinterred the remains of the ancient warrior.