embalm
Americanverb (used with object)
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to treat (a dead body) so as to preserve it, as with chemicals, drugs, or balsams.
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to preserve from oblivion; keep in memory.
his deeds embalmed in the hearts of his disciples.
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to cause to remain unchanged; prevent the development of.
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to impart a balmy fragrance to.
verb
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to treat (a dead body) with preservatives, as by injecting formaldehyde into the blood vessels, to retard putrefaction
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to preserve or cherish the memory of
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poetic to give a sweet fragrance to
Other Word Forms
- embalmer noun
- embalmment noun
- unembalmed adjective
Etymology
Origin of embalm
1300–50; Middle English embalmen, embaumen < Old French emba ( u ) smer, equivalent to em- em- 1 + -ba ( u ) smer, verbal derivative of ba ( u ) sme balm
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Funeral directors are unable to embalm or treat the deceased in their care until a death is registered.
From BBC • Feb. 1, 2025
Before the 90-day waiting period is over, mortuaries are not allowed to embalm or cremate people without authorization from their next of kin, so the cooler is the only way to keep remains preserved.
From Seattle Times • Feb. 12, 2024
Families were no longer required to embalm their loved ones — a service that can cost anywhere from $500 to $1,000.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 30, 2022
Chili peppers make you sweat; tragic novels make you cry; academic papers embalm you in a formaldehyde of words and then give you a splendid phrase to use for the rest of your life.
From New York Times • Dec. 27, 2021
Someone had to embalm her before Mollie saw her.
From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
