What does inhumation mean?
Inhumation is a formal noun meaning the burial of a human body in the ground. It is used especially in historical, archaeological, legal, religious, and medical contexts, where the precise practice of placing remains beneath the soil needs to be identified. The term is more specialized and ceremonious than “burial,” which is the usual everyday expression, while “interment” is a common formal synonym. “Cremation” is its clearest contrast, because it describes a different method of disposing of a body. Although inhumation is relatively uncommon in general conversation, it is valuable in descriptions of burial customs, archaeological discoveries, funerary regulations, and the historical treatment of human remains. The word comes from Latin, combining in- and humus, the Latin word for soil.
nounThe burial of a human body in the ground, especially as a formal or historical practice. The term is more formal and specialized than the everyday word “burial.”
- The act of burying a human body in the ground.
"The remains were subject to inhumation beneath the chapel after the funeral service."
"The excavation revealed evidence of inhumation dating from the early medieval period."
"The document contains a detailed account of the inhumation of the remains in the crypt."
The plural is used when referring to multiple acts or instances of burial in the ground.
"The text describes several inhumations performed at the burial site."
From the same Latin root as “human,” inhumation literally means placing a person in the earth: in + humus, “soil.”
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does inhumation come from?
“Inhumation” was formed in English from the Latin “inhumare,” meaning “to bury in the ground.” That verb combines the prefix in- with “humus,” meaning “earth” or “soil,” and the noun entered English through the broader tradition of Latin-derived terminology for burial and interment.
Related word forms
How inhumation is actually used
This is a formal, literary, historical, or legal term. In everyday speech, “burial” or “interment” is usually preferred.