headstone

Everyday

1. A headstone is a stone set at the head of a grave, with the name of the person who died and often a short message. tree →
2. (building) A headstone can also mean the main stone of a building, the keystone or cornerstone. tree →

In the lessons

A word of family life, history and graveyards: families choose a headstone for someone who has died; in history lessons pupils read old headstones to learn about people of the past. It tells the reader about death, memory and respect. Phrases: «carved on the headstone», «a marble headstone», «lay flowers by the headstone».

Examples

• We put flowers by Grandma's headstone. tree →
• The headstone said, «Loved by all who knew her.» tree →
• In history, we read the names on the old headstones in the churchyard. tree →
• Some headstones were so old that the words had worn away. tree →
• The family chose a simple grey headstone. tree →
• A little angel was carved on the headstone. tree →

Note

Countable. Also called a «gravestone» or «tombstone». Graveyards are places of respect: don't climb on headstones or run between graves. Headstones often say when the person was born and when they died, which helps historians.