morgue

noun

ˈmȯrg How to pronounce morgue (audio)
1
: a place where the bodies of dead persons are kept temporarily pending identification or release for burial or autopsy
2
: a collection of reference works and files of reference material in a newspaper or news periodical office

Examples of morgue in a Sentence

old news stories found in a newspaper morgue
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Gravelly Point Park, a popular spot for plane watchers, has now become the site of a makeshift morgue. — Alaa Elassar, CNN, 2 Feb. 2025 Red tents popped up near Audi Field, a makeshift morgue. — Cuneyt Dil, Axios, 31 Jan. 2025 After rebels liberated Damascus, in December, Hamada’s body was discovered in the morgue of a military hospital. — Ian Crouch, The New Yorker, 28 Jan. 2025 This past November, Russia returned the bodies of 563 members of the Ukrainian military who were killed in Donetsk or Bakhmut, or had been in morgues on Russian territory. — Tyler McBrien, The Dial, 28 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for morgue

Word History

Etymology

French

First Known Use

1795, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of morgue was in 1795

Rhymes for morgue

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Browse Nearby Words

morgue
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Cite this Entry

“Morgue.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/morgue. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

morgue

noun
ˈmȯ(ə)rg How to pronounce morgue (audio)
1
: a place where the bodies of the dead are kept temporarily until they are identified or released for burial
2
: a department of a newspaper where reference material is filed

Medical Definition

morgue

noun
ˈmȯ(ə)rg How to pronounce morgue (audio)
: a place where the bodies of dead persons are kept temporarily pending identification or release for burial or autopsy

Legal Definition

morgue

noun
ˈmȯrg How to pronounce morgue (audio)
: a place where the bodies of persons found dead are kept until identified and claimed by relatives or released for burial or autopsy

More from Merriam-Webster on morgue

Nglish: Translation of morgue for Spanish Speakers

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