Back to all words

Morgue

4 stages from Vulgar Latin to English.

Today it means a place where dead bodies are kept before burial or identification

Where does the word "morgue" come from? It comes from Vulgar Latin murrum, passing through Old French and French before entering English (1821).

1
Stage 1 of 4
murrum
Vulgar Latin · medieval
"muzzle, snout"
a word for a muzzle or snout, giving rise to a verb for making a face
2
Stage 2 of 4
morguer
Old French · medieval
"to look solemn or haughty"
'to look solemnly', describing a stern facial expression
3
Stage 3 of 4
morgue
French · medieval
"a haughty look; a building for displaying bodies"
shifted from an expression to the name of a Paris building where unidentified bodies were displayed for identification
4
Stage 4 of 4
morgue
English · 1821
"a mortuary"
borrowed for a facility housing unclaimed dead bodies
Drag to pan · scroll to zoom