An undertaker is a person whose job is to prepare dead bodies for burial or cremation and to arrange funerals. The more modern term is often "funeral director."
From "undertake," meaning to take something on, especially a serious task. It originally referred to someone who undertook various responsibilities, before narrowing to funeral work.
Originally, an undertaker was just someone who "undertook" big jobs—nothing to do with death at all. The funeral meaning took over so strongly that the old general sense quietly disappeared.
Historically, funeral and burial work in many cultures has been male-dominated and associated with male-coded professional titles. The term "undertaker" itself is not gendered grammatically, but cultural imagery has often centered men in this role.
Use "undertaker" or better, "funeral director" or "mortuary professional" without assuming a man; specify gender only when it is known and relevant.
["funeral director","mortuary professional"]
When discussing the funeral industry, acknowledge the growing number of women funeral directors and death-care professionals who have reshaped practices around grief and family support.
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