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Webster 1913 Edition

Sarcophagus

Sar-coph′a-gus

,
Noun.
;
pl. L.
Sarcophagi
(#)
, E.
Sarcophaguses
(#)
.
[L., fr. Gr.
σαρκοφάγος
, properly, eating flesh;
σάρξ
,
σάρκος
, flesh +
φαγεῖν
to eat. Cf.
Sarcasm
.]
1.
A species of limestone used among the Greeks for making coffins, which was so called because it consumed within a few weeks the flesh of bodies deposited in it. It is otherwise called
lapis Assius
, or
Assian stone
, and is said to have been found at Assos, a city of Lycia.
Holland.
2.
A coffin or chest-shaped tomb of the kind of stone described above; hence, any stone coffin.
3.
A stone shaped like a sarcophagus and placed by a grave as a memorial.

Webster 1828 Edition

Sarcophagus

SARCOPH'AGUS

,
Noun.
[L. from Gr. flesh and to eat.]
1.
A species of stone used among the Greeks in their sculptures, which was so called because it consumed the flesh of bodies deposited in it within a few weeks. It is otherwise called lapis Assius, and said to be found at Assos, a city of Lycia Hence,
2.
A stone coffin or grave in which the ancients deposited bodies which they chose not to burn.

Definition 2024

sarcophagus

sarcophagus

English

A sarcophagus (coffin).

Noun

sarcophagus ‎(plural sarcophagi or sarcophaguses)

  1. A stone coffin, often inscribed or decorated with sculpture.
  2. (informal) The cement and steel structure that encases the destroyed reactor at the power station in Chernobyl, Ukraine.

Related terms

  • autosarcophagy

Translations

External links

Etymology

From French sarcophage, from Latin sarcophagus, from Ancient Greek σαρκοφάγος ‎(sarkophágos, “coffin of limestone”, noun), so named from a supposed property of consuming the flesh of corpses laid in it, from σαρκοφάγος ‎(sarkophágos, “flesh-eating, carnivorous”), from genitive σαρκός ‎(sarkós) of σάρξ ‎(sárx, “flesh, meat”) + -φάγος ‎(-phágos) (from ἔφαγον ‎(éphagon), past of φαγεῖν ‎(phageîn, “to eat”))

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