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

Over the years, he took over airport, harbor patrol and jail operations from other departments, The Times reported, and created a central county morgue that shifted control of autopsies from far-flung mortuaries to a facility under his control.

From Los Angeles Times

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

Geoff Payne also visited the morgue in Buenos Aires to officially identify his son.

From BBC

Related Words

• funeral home