cenotaph
noun
ceno·taph
| \ ˈse-nə-ˌtaf
, -ˌtäf\
, -ˌtäf\
Definition of cenotaph
: a tomb or a monument erected in honor of a person or group of persons whose remains are elsewhere
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Examples of cenotaph in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The pharaoh also took the care to honor his grandmother Tetisheri by building a cenotaph to her in Abydos, the center of the cult of Osiris, the god of the afterlife. — National Geographic, "How three rebel queens of Egypt overthrew an empire and gave birth to a new kingdom," 7 Mar. 2019 The good folks of the Town of Rhine raised $1,000 in 1867 for the cenotaph. — Meg Jones, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Sheboygan County community remembers its Civil War dead 150 years after it erected memorial," 28 May 2018 As with Halsey’s current fine installation downtown at the Museum of Contemporary Art, which spins off the Classical motif of Plato’s Cave, this piece also looks to an ancient source — the Egyptian form of a cenotaph, or empty tomb. — Christopher Knight, latimes.com, "'Made in L.A. 2018': Why the Hammer biennial is the right show for disturbing times," 5 June 2018 People crowded around the white fence surrounding the cenotaph to watch a wreath being placed at the memorial. — Meg Jones, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Sheboygan County community remembers its Civil War dead 150 years after it erected memorial," 28 May 2018 Walking around Ramgarh, our tour guide showed us Poddar houses, Poddar temples, Poddar cenotaphs, all covered in some of the region’s best preserved frescoes, what pride in roots! — Namrata Poddar, Longreads, "A Storyteller, Unbecoming," 8 Mar. 2018 Three buildings the Texas General Land Office recently agreed to buy are seen in the upper right side of the frame just behind the white marble cenotaph. — Scott Huddleston, San Antonio Express-News, "Statewide input sought for Alamo plan," 12 Dec. 2017 The cenotaph is surrounded by four flaming torches that are kept constantly lit. — Smithsonian, "World War I Cemeteries & Memorials Around the World," 26 May 2017 Shah Jahan’s cenotaph is peculiarly positioned west of the central axis, throwing off the equilibrium. — Lisa Cheng, Smithsonian, "Eight Secrets of the Taj Mahal," 14 Feb. 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cenotaph.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for cenotaph
cenotaph
noun
English Language Learners Definition of cenotaph
: a special structure or statue that is built to remind people of a dead person who is buried somewhere else
especially
: a structure built to honor the people who were killed in a war
See the full definition for cenotaph in the English Language Learners Dictionary
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