necropolis
UK /nɛˈkɹɒpəlɪs/ · US /nɛˈkɹɑpələs/ noun
Forms necropolises necropoleis necropoles necropoli nekropolis
- noun (chiefly historical, also figuratively) A cemetery; especially a large one in or near a city.
- noun (archaeology) An ancient site used for burying the dead, particularly if consisting of elaborate grave monuments.
- noun A city or settlement where most people are dead and/or dying.
Synonyms
necropole boneyard Boot Hill burial ground camposanto cemetery churchyard crypt God's acre gravestead graveyard kirkyard lichyard marble orchard memorial park urupa burial site burying ground
Etymology
Borrowed from Koine Greek νεκρόπολις (nekrópolis, “city of the dead, cemetery”) (used to describe part of the city of Alexandria, Egypt), from Ancient Greek νεκρός (nekrós, “dead”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *neḱ- (“to disappear; to perish”)) + πόλις (pólis, “city”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *tpelH- (“city; fortification”)). The English word is analysable as necro- + -polis, and is cognate with French nécropole, German Nekropolis, Late Latin necropolis.
The plural form necropoleis is derived from Ancient Greek νεκροπόλεις (nekropóleis).
Webster’s 1913
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “necropolis”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details