A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

algor mortis

The cooling of the body immediately after death to room temperature and temporary stiffening of the muscles.  

arrangement room

A room of the funeral home used to make the necessary funeral arrangements with the family of the deceased.

aspirate

Process of withdrawing fluids and gases from the abdominal cavity.

alternative container

A non-metal receptacle without ornamentation or interior lining which is designed to hold human remains and is made of cardboard, pressed-wood, composition materials (with or without an outside covering), or pouches of canvas or other materials.

ashes

See cremated remains.

at need

At time of death, including immediately following or when impending.

at need solicitation

Any uninvited contact by a seller for the purpose of selling merchandise or services to the family of one whose death is impending or has just occurred. Illegal in some jurisdictions

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B

background drapes

Decorative drapes arranged on a frame and placed behind the casket as a background. They are usually made of velour.

bereaved

(Noun ) The immediate family of the deceased.

(Verb) Suffering from grief upon the death of a loved one.

burial

Placing of a dead body in an underground chamber earth burial- interment.

A legal paper issued by the local government authorizing burial. The permit may authorize earth burial or cremation or removal to a distant point.

burial garments

Wearing apparel made especially for the dead.

An insurance policy in which the principal is paid in a funeral service and merchandise rather than cash.

before need

See preneed.

below ground crypt

See lawn crypt.

burial

See entombment, interment, and inurnment. syn. inhumation.

burial permit

A legal document issued by a local authority authorizing final disposition of human remains.

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C

canopy 

A roof like structure projecting from the outside wall over the driveway allowing passengers to board and alight from vehicles without being directly exposed to the elements sometimes construed as a portable canvas shelter used to cover the grave area during committal service.

casket

A receptacle of wood, metal or plastic into which the dead human body is placed for burial. Sometimes referred to as "coffin" or "burial case."

A motor coach designed and used for the conveyance of the casketed remains from the place the funeral service is conducted to the cemetery. Also known as Hearse or Funeral Coach.

casketing

Placing of the body in the casket upon completion of embalming, dressing and cosmetizing.

A device which allows caskets to be placed one on top of the other for display purposes.

casket veil

A silk or net transparent covering for the casket for the purpose of keeping flies and other insects from the remains.

catafalque

A stand upon which the casketed remains rest while instate and during the funeral service.

cenotaph

An empty tomb or monument erected in memory or a person buried elsewhere.

A legalized copy of the original certificate, issued upon request by the local government for the purpose of substantiating various claims by the family of the deceased such as insurance and other death benefits.

chapel

A large room of the funeral home in which the farewell service is held.

church truck

A collapsible catafalque used for funerals. 

A wedge shaped burial case, usually eight- sided. Also known as "casket".

columbarium

A structure of vaults lined with recesses for urns containing cremated remains.

The final portion of the funeral service at which time the deceased is interred or entombed.

coroner

public official and in some cases a constitutional officer whose duty it is to investigate the case of death if it appears to be from other than natural causes, or if there was no physician in attendance for a long time prior to death.

The funeral procession.

cosmetology

Utilization of cosmetics to restore life like appearance to the deceased.

Reduction of the body to ashes by fire.

cremation permit

A certificate issued by local government authorizing cremation of the deceased.

crematory

A furnace for cremating remains.

crypt

A vault or room used for keeping remains.

The stretcher-like carrier used to remove deceased persons from the place of death to the funeral home.

cash advance

Any item of service or merchandise described to a purchaser as a "cash advance," "accommodation," "cash disbursement," or similar term. A cash advance item is also any item obtained from a third party and paid for by the seller on the purchaser’s behalf. Cash advance items may include, but are not limited to, cemetery or crematory services, pallbearers, public transportation, clergy honoraria, flowers, musicians or singers, nurses, obituary notices, gratuities, and death certificates.

casket

A rigid container for the interment of human remains. May be made of wood, metal, or like material and are ornamented and lined with fabric. Wooden models include cloth covered soft woods and hardwoods finished like fine furniture. Metal caskets are most commonly made of steel, copper, or bronze. Additionally, metal caskets may be "protective" or "sealing" because they have a gasket around the lid. The FTC Funeral Trade Rule and some states have specific requirements regarding representations about sealing caskets.

cemetery

1. A place dedicated to and used, or intended to be used, for the final disposition and memorialization of human remains. 2. A place for burial of dead human remains.

cemetery authority

Any person, partnership, or corporation that owns or controls a cemetery or conducts cemetery business.

cenotaph

A memorial in honor of a deceased person who is interred elsewhere.

coffin

A container for burial of human remains, usually applied to a hexagonal shaped container. Also see casket.

columbarium - pl. -ia, iums

A structure, room, or space in a building or structure used, or intended to be used, for the inurnment of cremated remains.

cremated remains

The bone fragments remaining after the cremation process which may include the residue of any foreign materials that were cremated with the human remains. Usually processed by crushing or grinding to achieve a uniform consistency.

cremated remains container

A receptacle in which cremated remains are placed after cremation.

cremation

The irreversible process of reducing human remains to bone fragments through intense heat and evaporation in a specifically designed furnace or retort which may include any other mechanical or thermal process whereby the bone fragments are pulverized or otherwise further reduced in size or volume. Cremation is a process and is not final disposition. (Note: some states don’t agree with this and hold that cremation is a form of disposition.)

cremation container

An enclosed receptacle which is combustible, rigid, and leak-resistant, and is designed to hold human remains prior to cremation; includes non-metallic caskets.

crematory

A structure containing a furnace or retort used or intended to be used for the cremation of human remains.

crypt

A concrete enclosure for interment. Mausoleum crypts are generally above ground and in buildings. Crypts in garden mausoleums also are usually above ground but are open to the outside rather than being in an enclosed building. Crypts also may be installed in large groups underground in lawn sections—See lawn crypt. Lawn crypts do not require the use of an additional outer burial container. Lawn crypts are sometimes also are referred to as garden crypts.

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D

death 

Cessation of all vital functions without the capability of resuscitation.

death notice

A paragraph in a newspaper publicizing the death of a person and giving those details of the funeral service the survivors wish to have published. Most such notices list the names of the relatives of the deceased.

One in whom all physical life has ceased.

disinter

To remove the remains from the burial place; to dig up.

A room in the funeral home in which caskets, urns and burial garments are displayed.

door badge

A floral spray placed on the door of a residence wherein death has occurred.

death certificate

A legal document containing vital statistics pertaining to the life and death of the deceased. Must be accepted and filed with the proper agency before a burial permit is issued.

deed

A document conveying a right of interment in specific cemetery property. Usually doesn't convey any fee ownership.

direct cremation

Disposition of human remains by cremation without formal viewing, visitation, or ceremony with the body present.

direct disposition

Any final disposition of human remains without formal viewing, visitation, or ceremony with the body present.

disinterment

Removing human remains that have been interred. Also see interment.

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E

A procedure where human remains are chemically treated by injection and/or topical application for temporary preservation, including, but not limited to, the act of disinfecting, preserving, and restoring the human remains to a natural life-like appearance. The preservation is intended to allow for adequate time to plan a funeral service and for friends and family to travel from out-of-town, rather than for any long-term protection from decomposition.

embalmer

One who disinfects or preserves dead human bodies by the injection or external application of antiseptics, disinfectants or preservative fluids; prepares human bodies for transportation which are dead of contagious or infectious diseases; or uses derma surgery or plastic art for restoring mutilated features.

Liquid chemicals used in preserving a dead body.

emblming table

An operating table upon which the remains are placed for embalming.

The moral code which guides the members of the profession in proper conduct of their duties and obligations.

exhume

To dig up the remains; to remove from the place of burial.

embalmer

A person authorized by law to engage in embalming.

embalming

A procedure where human remains are chemically treated by injection and/or topical application for temporary preservation, including, but not limited to, the act of disinfecting, preserving, and restoring the human remains to a natural life-like appearance. The preservation is intended to allow for adequate time to plan a funeral service and for friends and family to travel from out-of-town, rather than for any long-term protection from decomposition.

endowment care

The maintenance, repair, and care of all places in the cemetery, subject to the rules and regulations of the cemetery authority. May also be known as endowed care, perpetual care, improvement care, permanent care, etc.

endowment care fund

An irrevocable trust fund set aside by law with a trustee, with the earnings therefrom to provide for the long-term care of the cemetery. Sometimes be referred to as a "Perpetual Care Fund."

entombment

The act of placing human remains in a crypt.

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F

family car  

That limousine in the funeral procession set aside for the use of the immediate family.

family room

A specially arranged room in the funeral home which affords the family privacy at the time of the funeral service.

A vehicle used for the transportation of flower pieces from the funeral home to the church and/or cemetery.

flower racks and stands

Wooden or metal stands and racks of varying heights used for banking flowers around the casket.

final rites

The funeral service. 

funeral coach

See Casket Coach.

funeral arrangements

Completing financial and service details of a funeral.

funeral director

A professional who prepares and supervises the disposition of deceased bodies and counsels with survivors. Synonyms: mortician, undertaker.

funeral home

A building used for arranging and conducting funerals.

funeral spray

A collective mass of cut flowers sent to the residence of the deceased or to the funeral home as a floral tribute to the deceased.

final disposition

The lawful disposal of human remains whether by interment, burial at sea, scattering, etc.

FTC Trade Rule

In 1982, the Federal Trade Commission promulgated a set of regulations requiring disclosure of price and other information by mortuaries and other sellers of funeral services and merchandise.

funeral director

A person who manages a mortuary. In many states, this person is also an embalmer. This definition varies according to individual state laws and regulations.

funeral

The ceremony held commemorating the deceased with the remains present.

funeral services

Services provided by a funeral director and staff, which may include consulting with the family on funeral planning; transportation, shelter, refrigeration, and embalming of remains; preparing and filing notices; obtaining authorizations and permits; and coordinating with the cemetery, crematory, or other third parties.

funeral establishment

See mortuary.

funeral home

See mortuary.

funeral society

See memorial society.

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G

An excavation in the earth for the purpose of burying the deceased .

grave liner

A receptacle made of concrete, metal or wood into which the casket is placed as an extra precaution of protection.

grave marker

Also called Memorial Marker. A method of identifying the occupant of a particular grave. Permanent grave markers are usually of metal or stone which gives such data as the name of the individual, date and place of birth, date and place of death.

garden crypt

See lawn crypt.

garden mausoleum

An outdoor mausoleum. Sometimes called "wall crypts" because of the configuration of the crypts and to avoid confusion with indoor mausolea. Also see mausoleum.

grave liner

See outer burial container

grave space

A space of ground in a cemetery that is used or intended to be used for ground burial.

graveside service

A service to commemorate the deceased held at the cemetery prior to burial.

guaranteed price prepaid contract

A contract with a fixed price for services or merchandise purchased before death. Also see non-guaranteed price prepaid contract.

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H

hearse

See Casket Coach.

honorary pallbearers

Friends or members of a religious, social or fraternal organization who act as an escort for the deceased. Honorary pallbearers do not carry the casket.

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I

inquest 

An official inquiry or examination usually before a jury to determine the case of death.

in state

The custom of availing the deceased for viewing by relatives and friends prior to or after the funeral service. 

inter

To bury a dead body in a grave or tomb (in the ground).

immediate burial

Disposition of human remains by burial without formal viewing, visitation, or ceremony with the body present, except for a graveside service.

interment

1. Final disposition by burial in ground, entombment in a mausoleum, or placement of cremated remains in a niche (inurnment). 2. The process of making an interment, including all administrative, clerical, legal, and mechanical services performed by the cemetery authority in conjunction with the opening of an interment space and closing of the interment space after the remains have been placed in the space.

interment right

The right to inter human remains in a particular interment space within the cemetery.

interment right owner

The person or persons who lawfully possess an interment right. There is a presumption of ownership in favor of the person listed as the owner in the records of the cemetery. syn. property owner.

interment space

A space intended for the final disposition of human remains, including, but not limited to, a grave space, mausoleum crypt, garden crypt, columbarium, and lawn crypt, or a private family mausoleum.

inurnment

The act of putting cremated remains in an urn and placing the urn in a niche.

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L

lead car 

It leads the procession to the church and/or cemetery.

lowering device

A mechanism used for lowering the casket into the grave.

lawn crypt

A pre-placed enclosed chamber, which is usually constructed of reinforced concrete, poured in place or precast unit installed in quantity, either side by side or multiple depth, and covered by earth or sod and also may be known as a garden crypt (not the above ground type), below ground crypt, or turf-top crypt.

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M

mausoleum 

A permanent above ground resting place for the remains. A public or private building especially designed to receive entombments.

medical examiner

A government official, usually appointed, who has a thorough medical knowledge and whose function is to perform an autopsy on bodies dead from violence, suicide, crime, etc., and to investigate circumstances of death.

memorial marker

See Grave Marker.

memorial service

A religious service conducted in memory of the deceased without the remains being present.

minister's room

A room in the funeral home set aside for the clergyman wherein he can robe and make any last minute preparations for the funeral service.

morgue

A place to where bodies found dead are removed and exposed pending identification by relatives.

mortician

See funeral director.

mortuary

A building specifically designed and constructed for caring for the dead. A synonym for funeral home

mourner

One who is present at the funeral out of affection or respect for the deceased.

marker

See memorial.

mausoleum - pl. -leums, -lea.

A chamber or structure used, or intended to be used, for entombment. A building that houses crypts for burial. A community mausoleum is for many families, and a private mausoleum is generally sold for the use of a single family. Some vendors sell what they call private or family mausoleums with only a few spaces. Many of these are more correctly called sarcophagi.

memorial

The physical identification of an interment space. Generally has at least the name, date of birth, and date of death of the deceased and may include an epitaph or commemoration of the life, deeds, or career of the deceased person. These may be in the form of bronze,bronze on granite or granite tablets flush with the ground, upright monuments, individual cut out bronze letters applied to the front of a mausoleum crypt, statuary, benches, or other artwork or architectural features. Other terms that might be used are memorial tablet (flush bronze memorial), marker, headstone, crypt plate, or garden plaque. Also see cenotaph.

memorialization

The existence of a memorial or the process of erecting a memorial.

memorial park

A cemetery which has adopted a park like style and abolished the use of upright memorials. As envisioned by Hubert Eaton who coined the term, a memorial-park has "sweeping lawns" and must also be inspirational, "...a place that uplifts and educates a community." Some cemeteries continue to allow upright memorials but call themselves memorial-parks because they have some sections where upright memorials are not allowed.

memorial service

A ceremony commemorating the deceased without the remains present.

memorial society

A membership organization which distributes information about funerals. May promote methods of prearrangement, changes to funeral laws, and offer referrals to specific funeral homes. Generally, not regulated.

merchandise

Any personal property offered or sold by any seller for use in connection with the funeral, final disposition, memorialization, or interment of human remains.

monument

An upright memorial, including what used to be called a tombstone, also includes large structures like obelisks, usually made from granite.

mortuary

A place of business used in the care, planning, and preparation for final disposition or transportation of human remains. Operations may include arranging and conducting funerals, sales of services and funeral merchandise, and embalming.

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N

niche

A space within a columbarium used or intended to be used for inurnment of cremated remains.

non-guaranteed price prepaid contract

A prepaid contract where the seller reserves the right to charge additional fees in the future in addition to the price stated in the prepaid contract. Also see guaranteed price prepaid contract.

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O

obituary

A notice of the death of a person, particularly a newspaper notice, containing a biographical sketch.

opening and closing

See interment.

outer burial container

A container which is designed for placement in the grave space around the casket, including, but not limited to, containers commonly known as burial vaults, grave boxes, and grave liners.

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P

pallbearers

Individuals whose duty is to carry the casket when necessary during funeral service. Pallbearers can be close friends and relatives of the deceased.

plot

An area of ground in a cemetery . It usually contains two or more graves.

prearranged funeral

Funeral arrangements completed by an individual prior to his/her death. 

preparation room

A room in a funeral home designed and equipped for preparing the deceased for final disposition.

preparation table

An operating table located in the preparation room upon which the body is dressed or prepared for embalming.

procession

Funeral Ritual where the mourners follow the casket as it is brought into and taken out of the church. It is also the vehicle movement of the funeral from the place where the funeral service was conducted to the cemetery.

purge

A discharge from the deceased through the mouth, nose and ears of matter from the stomach and intestine caused by improper or ineffectual embalming, due to putrefaction.

putrefaction

The decomposition of the body upon death.

perpetual care

Generally replaced by the term "endowment care." See endowment care.

potter’s field

A cemetery for paupers. The term comes from Matthew 27:7 when the chief priests determined what to do with the thirty pieces of silver returned by Judas: "So they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in."

predeveloped

Designated areas or buildings within a cemetery that have been mapped and planned for future construction, but are not yet completed.

prearrangement

Making plans for a funeral or interment prior to death or impending death. A broad term which can encompass both preplanning and prepaid purchases.

prefinancing

See prepaid purchase and prepaid contract.

preneed

Prior to death or prior to an impending death. Not at need.

prepaid contract

A written contract to purchase merchandise or services from the seller on a preneed basis. Also see guaranteed price prepaid contract and non-guaranteed price prepaid contract.

prepaid purchase

Purchasing cemetery or funeral commodities or services preneed. Purchase may be for a lump sum or on an installment contract. Not necessarily a price guarantee but often perceived to include one. Also see guaranteed price prepaid contract and non-guaranteed price prepaid contract.

preplanning

Making and recording the preneed decisions for interment or funeral services. Does not necessarily include a preneed purchase. Also see prepaid purchase and prearrangement.

private mausoleum - A mausoleum for one family. See mausoleum and sarcophagus.

processing cremated remains

The grinding or pulver