morgue

[ mawrg ]

noun

1. a place in which bodies are kept, especially the bodies of victims of violence or accidents, pending identification or burial.
2. a reference file of old clippings, mats, books, etc., in a newspaper office.
3. the room containing such a reference file.
4. any place, as a room or file, where records, information, or objects are kept for unexpected but possible future use.
5. such records, information, or objects.

morgue

¹

/ mɔːɡ /

noun

1. another word for mortuary
2. informal.
   a room or file containing clippings, files, etc, used for reference in a newspaper

morgue

²

/ mɔrɡ /

noun

1. superiority; haughtiness

Word History and Origins

Origin of morgue¹

1815–25; < French; name of building in Paris housing unidentified dead bodies

Word History and Origins

Origin of morgue¹

C19: from French la Morgue, a Paris mortuary

Example Sentences

The doctor killed in an Israeli strike alongside her mother and her newborn twins, her husband finding their bodies at the morgue of her former workplace minutes after registering his babies’ birth.

From Salon

Nowhere was off limits, not even the morgue.

From BBC

He also visited the morgue in the city to officially identify his son.

From BBC

Evidence is being gathered here and taken to a laboratory, while Payne’s body has been taken to a morgue, in the hope this may provide further answers.

From BBC

The musician’s body was transported to the morgue, where doctors performed an autopsy between 9:45 p.m. and 11:05 p.m.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• funeral home