funeral

Where does the word "funeral" come from? It comes from Latin funus, passing through Old French before entering English (1400s).

Funeral’s story begins in Latin: funus meant “burial rites.” Perhaps related to 'fumus', smoke, from funeral pyres. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as funerailles. Came via Medieval Latin 'funeralia'. It reached English by 1400s as funeral. 'funeral parlour' dates from the 1880s. Today, funeral means a ceremony for burying the dead.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient funus "burial rites", perhaps related to 'fumus', smoke, from funeral pyres.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval funerailles "funeral rites", came via Medieval Latin 'funeralia'.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1400s funeral "burial rite", 'funeral parlour' dates from the 1880s.