Definition

Noun (plural only): - Funeral rites or ceremonies: "obsequies" refers to the formal ceremonies and rituals associated with the burial or cremation of a dead person. It encompasses the entire sequence of funeral observances, including the procession, service, and interment.

Usage Examples

• (The formal funeral ceremonies took place in a major church.)
• (Funeral rites from that historical period included complex customs.)
• (They asked that the funeral ceremonies not be open to the public.)

Advanced Usage

• "to perform obsequies": to carry out funeral ceremonies.

  • The priest performed the obsequies with great solemnity. (He conducted the funeral rites.)

• "obsequies of the dead": a formal phrase emphasizing the rituals for deceased individuals.

  • The obsequies of the dead are often a time for communal mourning. (Funeral ceremonies for the departed serve as a period for shared grief.)

Variants and Related Words

• Obsequial (adj): relating to or characteristic of obsequies.
  • The obsequial procession moved slowly through the streets. (The funeral procession was solemn and orderly.)

Synonyms

• Funeral: the ceremonies held in connection with the burial or cremation of a dead person.
• Burial service: a religious or secular ceremony at a burial.
• Rites: formal religious or solemn ceremonies.
• Wake: a watch kept over the body of a dead person before burial, often involving social gatherings.

Phrasal Verbs

• None directly applicable: "obsequies" is a noun and does not form phrasal verbs.

Related Idioms

• "Last respects": a phrase meaning to pay honor to a deceased person, often by attending obsequies.
  • They came to pay their last respects at the obsequies. (They attended the funeral to honor the dead person.)

Notes

• "Obsequies" is always used in the plural form. It is a formal or literary term, less common in everyday speech than "funeral" or "burial service." The singular form "obsequy" exists but is extremely rare.