obituary

1 of 2

noun (1)

obit·u·ary ə-ˈbi-chə-ˌwer-ē ō-

-ˈbi-chə-rē

plural obituaries

Synonyms of obituary

: a notice of a person's death usually with a short biographical account

obituarist

ə-ˈbi-chə-ˌwər-ist,

ō-

-ˈbi-chə-rist

noun

obituary adjective

obituarist

2 of 2

noun (2)

obit·u·ar·ist -chəˌwerə̇st

-chər-

plural -s

: a writer of obituaries or the writer of an obituary

Examples of obituary in a Sentence

Noun (1) I read her obituary in the newspaper. several obituaries for Herman Melville portrayed him as an obscure, largely forgotten author

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Noun

For a group with its obituary already drafted, the industry is working on delivering new AI capabilities. — Rob Green, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026 During his career, Martin served as the chairman of several organizations, including the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Lexington Chamber of Commerce, United Way and the Governor's Scholar Foundation, according to an obituary. — Leo Bertucci, Louisville Courier Journal, 30 Aug. 2026 Suddenly, the obituaries of the last few months are turning into rebound stories, but both of these narratives obscure what’s really going on. — Peter Mintzberg, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026 Her brother Coy also died in July 2026 at the age of 82, according to an obituary from Atchley Funeral Home. — Angeline Jane Bernabe, ABC News, 27 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for obituary

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

borrowed from New Latin obituārium, noun derivative of Medieval Latin obituārius "of death, recording records or dates of death," from Latin obitu-, stem of obitus "death" + -ārius -ary entry 2 — more at obit

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1703, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of obituary was in 1703

See more words from the same year

Browse Nearby Words

obituarize

obituary

obj

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Obituary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/obituary. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

obituary

noun

obit·u·ary ə-ˈbich-ə-ˌwer-ē

plural obituaries

: a notice of a person's death (as in a newspaper)

obituary adjective

obituary

noun (1)

noun (2)

Synonyms of obituary

Examples of obituary in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

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