Definition

Noun: A mourning ring is a piece of jewelry, specifically a ring, worn to commemorate and show respect for a deceased person. It serves as a tangible memorial and a symbol of grief and remembrance.

Usage

Mourning rings were particularly common from the 16th to the early 20th centuries. They are typically somber in appearance, often made from dark materials like jet, black enamel, or gutta-percha, and may contain elements such as a lock of the deceased's hair, their initials, dates of birth and death, or other inscriptions.

Examples

• The widow wore a mourning ring containing a braid of her husband's hair.
• In Victorian times, it was customary to give mourning rings to close friends and family at a funeral.
• The museum's collection features an 18th-century mourning ring engraved with a skull and crossbones.

Advanced Usage

• Historical Context: Mourning rings are considered significant artifacts in the study of (reminders of death) and the social history of grief and memorial practices.
• As a Collectible: Antique mourning rings are now sought after by collectors of historical jewelry and mourning memorabilia.

Variants and Related Words

• Memorial ring: A more general term for a ring commemorating a person or event, which may not necessarily be associated with mourning (e.g., a ring for a retirement).
• Memento mori: A Latin phrase meaning "remember you must die," describing objects, including some mourning jewelry, designed to remind the owner of their own mortality.

Synonyms

• Memorial ring
• Bereavement ring (less common)

Related Idioms and Phrases

• To wear mourning: This broader phrase refers to the practice of wearing black clothing or symbols, like a mourning ring, to signify being in a period of grief.
  • Example: After the king's death, the court wore mourning for a full year.

Noun

1. a ring worn as a memorial to a dead person