Sarcophagi

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /sɑːˈkɒfəɡaɪ/

Definitions

1. A stone or metal container designed to hold a deceased body, typically elaborately decorated and found in burial sites
2. A coffin, often intricately carved, used in ancient cultures for the preservation and final resting place of the dead
3. A large box-like structure crafted for burying the dead, notable for its artistic designs and historical significance in funerary practices

Etymology: "Sarcophagi" is the plural of "sarcophagus," and it carries a surprisingly literal meaning in its Greek roots: "flesh-eating." The Greek "sarx" meant flesh and "phagos" meant eating, and the Greeks applied the compound to a particular limestone that was thought to consume a corpse within a few weeks, a belief that gave the stone its name before any coffin was ever carved from it. The Romans borrowed the word as "sarcophagus" and used it for stone coffins of many kinds, so the name shifted from the stone itself to the object made from it. English took the word directly from Latin. The plural "sarcophagi" keeps the Latin ending, the same pattern as "fungi" or "cacti," where the "-us" ending of the singular becomes "-i" in the plural.

Synonyms: tombs, coffins, graves