obituary

American  

[oh-bich-oo-er-ee] / oʊˈbɪtʃ uˌɛr i /

noun

plural

obituaries

1. a notice of the death of a person, often with a biographical sketch, as in a newspaper.

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or recording a death or deaths.

   the obituary page of a newspaper.

obituary British  

/ əˈbɪtjʊərɪ /

noun

1. a published announcement of a death, often accompanied by a short biography of the dead person

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Other Word Forms

• obituarist noun

Etymology

Origin of obituary

1700–10; < Medieval Latin obituārius, equivalent to Latin obitu ( s ) death ( obit ) + -ārius -ary

Example Sentences

Most of my friends have never had to write an obituary, or file a life insurance claim, or deal with probate court.

From Salon • Mar. 24, 2026

Workers lived in substandard housing and were paid terrible wages, according to a Times obituary.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 17, 2026

“My co-writer Tara told her co-worker about the Oscar nomination, and his reaction was, ‘Wow, this will be in your obituary.’

From MarketWatch • Mar. 13, 2026

"Linda was deeply family-oriented and treasured time spent making memories, especially on family vacations with her daughter and granddaughter," the obituary said.

From BBC • Feb. 3, 2026

There was no obituary for Henrietta Lacks, but word of her death reached the Gey lab quickly.

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot

Related Words

• eulogy
• obit