112. Death

See also 63. BURIAL ; 99. CORPSES ; 232. KILLING

autophonomania

an obsession with suicide.

cerement, cerements

the cloth or clothing in which the dead are wrapped for burial or other form of funeral.

cinerarium

a place where the cremated remains of the dead are stored. — cinerary , adj.

columbarium

a vault where the remains of cremated bodies are kept, usually in one of a number of recesses in a wall.

crematorium, crematory

a place where cremations are done.

epitaph

1. an inscription on a monument, as on a gravestone.

2. a short piece of prose or verse written in honor of a dead person. — epitaphial, epitaphian, epitaphic, adj.

euthanasia

the deliberate killing of painfully ill or terminally ill people to put them out of their misery. Also called mercy killing .

ktenology

the science of putting people to death.

moribundity

1. the state or quality of being on the verge of death.

2. close to extinction or stagnant. — moribund , adj.

myriologue

an improvised funeral song, composed for the dead and sung by women in modern Greece. — myriologist , n. — myriologic , myriological, adj.

necrolatry

the worship of the dead.

necrology

1. an announcement of death; obituary.

2. a list of persons who have died within a certain time. Also necrologue . — necrologist , n.

necromancy

1. the magie practiced by a witch or sorcerer.

2. a form of divination through communication with the dead; the black art. Also nigromancy . — necromancer , necromant, nigromancien, n. — necromantie , adj.

necromania

an obsession with death or the dead.

necromimesis

an abnormal condition in which a person believes himself dead.

necrophilia, necrophilism

an abnormal, often sexual attraction toward the dead or a dead body. — necrophile , n.

necrophobia

an abnormal fear of death. Also called thanatophobia .

necrosis

the death or decay of body tissue, the result of loss of blood supply or trauma. — necrotic , adj.

nerterology

Rare. any learning that pertains to the dead.

ossuarium

a place or receptacle for the bones of the dead. Also called ossuary .

taphophilia, taphephilia

an excessive interest in graves and cemeteries.

thanatoid

resembling death; deathly.

thanatology

the study of death or the dead. Also thanatism. — thanatological, adj.

thanatomania

an obsession with death. See also necromania .

thanatophobia

necrophobia.

thanatopsis

a survey of or meditation upon death.

viaticum

the Eucharist given to one about to die; last rites or extreme unction. — viatic, viatical, adj.