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obsequy

obsequy

9.9
A ceremony held for a dead person to honour them
  • noun
  • /əbˈsiːkwi/
  • Formal
translation icon : obsequio
  • Many people attended the obsequy to pay their final respects to the beloved community leader.

Examples

  • During the obsequy, friends and family shared memories of the deceased.

  • Romney's 47% "gaffe" and his criticism of the Obama administration's obsequy to Islam in the face of terrorist attacks on US soil were merely inconvenient truths.

    Blog text (23)
  • The priest led the obsequy, honoring the life of the departed with heartfelt prayers.

Synonyms

funeral
vsobsequy
820 1.9

A ceremony to bury or cremate a person who has died

focuses on the ritual of honoring rather than burial or cremation
wake
vsobsequy
73 7.2

A gathering of family and friends near a dead person's body before the funeral

is a general honoring ceremony rather than the pre ceremony vigil
commemoration
vsobsequy
15 6.0

A ceremony to honor and remember people or events

is used specifically for a deceased person rather than any remembrance event
observance
vsobsequy
  • Formal
6 4.7

A formal event to mark or honor a special day

is restricted to honoring a dead person rather than any special occasion
interment
vsobsequy
  • Formal
4 8.4

The act of placing a dead body in a grave after a funeral

is a broader honoring ceremony rather than the act of placing the body
entombment
vsobsequy
  • Formal
1 8.9

The act of placing a dead body in a tomb or grave during a funeral

focuses on the overall honoring ceremony rather than tomb placement specifically

Surface Forms

obsequy singular
obsequies plural

Etymology

Obsequy comes from the root sequi, which means 'to follow', the same root you see in sequence and sequel. It originally meant the ceremonies that 'follow' a person's death, so today it means a funeral rite.