What does mummifying mean?
Mummifying is the present participle of “mummify,” meaning to preserve a dead body through the removal of moisture and the use of specialized techniques, or to describe a process that has the same drying and preserving effect. The word is associated especially with ancient Egyptian burial practices, although natural conditions can also mummify bodies, animals, and organic materials. In a sentence, it can describe an intentional human practice, as in “the priests were mummifying the body,” or a naturally occurring process, as in “the dry climate was mummifying the remains.” It is more specialized than the general word “preserving” and carries a clear historical or scientific association. As a participle, it can be used on its own or, occasionally, before a noun, such as “the mummifying process.”
verbPresent participle of mummify: preserving a dead body by treating it so that it remains intact, or causing something to become mummified.
- Present participle of mummify, especially referring to the treatment or natural process by which a dead body becomes a mummy.
"The dry desert climate was mummifying the bodies buried in the ancient cemetery."
"The ancient Egyptians developed sophisticated techniques for mummifying the dead."
"The unusually dry conditions were mummifying the remains of the animal."
Mummifying turns the human body into a mummy; the word also describes the dry, slow process that made preservation possible.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does mummifying come from?
The word comes from “mummy,” which was borrowed from Arabic mummiya, meaning “a embalmed body” and traditionally associated with the Arabic mummiyūn, referring to embalmed bodies. The English verb “mummify” developed from the same root, and “mummifying” is its present participle. The related form “mummification” also reflects this etymological base.
Related word forms
How mummifying is actually used
The word is relatively uncommon in everyday English and is mainly used in historical, archaeological, and museum contexts. As the present participle of “mummify,” it may function adjectivally before a noun.