What does mummify mean?
Mummify means to preserve a body by drying it or treating it with chemicals and other materials, especially in the manner of ancient Egyptian funerary practice. The word is especially associated with the careful preparation of dead people and animals for burial, including the removal of internal organs, drying of the body, and application of wrapping and preservatives. Mummification also has a broader figurative sense: something can become mummified when it dries out, shrivels, or becomes rigid and preserved. The term is often used in history, archaeology, art, and museum education, where it refers both to the process itself and to the preserved body that results. It is distinct from embalming in a strict technical sense, because embalming specifically involves chemical treatment to preserve a body, while mummification can include drying and other methods.
verbTo preserve a human or animal body by drying it or treating it with chemicals or other substances, as was traditionally done in ancient Egypt. It can also mean to make something resemble a mummy or cause it to become dried and shriveled.
- To preserve a dead human or animal body by drying it or treating it with substances such as resins and oils.
- To make something dry, shriveled, or mummified.
"The ancient Egyptians developed methods to mummify the dead for burial."
"The priests carefully mummified the pharaoh before the burial ceremony."
"The heat caused the fruit to shrivel and mummify in the dry air."
In ancient Egypt, mummification was not merely preservation: it helped prepare the deceased for a continued existence in the afterlife.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does mummify come from?
Mummify is derived from mummy, which ultimately comes through Arabic from an ancient Egyptian word for a preserved body; the ultimate proposed source is associated with the Persian word for wax. The verb entered English in the early 19th century in connection with Egyptian mummies and the practice of embalming. The related noun mummification names the process, while mummy denotes the preserved body itself.
Related word forms
How mummify is actually used
The word is common in historical, archaeological, and museum contexts. In everyday figurative use, it can describe something that has become dried and shriveled, though this sense is less frequent than the historical one.
Easily confused with mummify
Mummify refers broadly to preserving a body through drying or similar treatment, whereas embalm specifically involves treating it with chemicals to preserve it.