Headstone

/ˈhedˌstoʊn/ noun

Definition

A carved stone marker placed at the head of a grave to remember and identify a person who has died.

Etymology

From 'head' plus 'stone.' The combination refers to the stone's position at the head (upper end) of a burial plot, a tradition dating back centuries.

Kelly Says

Headstones are essentially humanity's answer to forgetting—we carve names and dates into stone partly because humans are terrified of being forgotten, and stone lasts longer than memory.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.