pallbearer

[ pawl-bair-er ]

noun

1. one of several persons who carry or attend the coffin at a funeral.

pallbearer

/ ˈpɔːlˌbɛərə /

noun

1. a person who carries or escorts the coffin at a funeral

Word History and Origins

Origin of pallbearer¹

First recorded in 1700–10; pall ¹ + bearer

Example Sentences

Hannah said one of the rooms they used was where a pallbearer would "lower the coffins down before they would be cremated... obviously they don’t use it any more".

From BBC

And greatest is Rostam—a warhorse to Neptune, a pallbearer of the Nazarene.

From Literature

At the dog park, he turned strangers into fast friends, joining regulars for dinner and even serving as a pallbearer at one of their funerals.

From Los Angeles Times

“Mr. Kennedy has been a friend to the Chavez family since he was a boy, and was asked by the family to be a pallbearer when Cesar Chavez passed away in 1993,” the spokesperson, who did not provide their name, said in an email.

From Los Angeles Times

She also discussed Darcey's role as a pallbearer at the service, saying: "She insisted on doing it and I thought it was a beautiful thing."

From BBC