tombstone

Everyday

1. A tombstone is a large flat stone over or at the end of a grave, with the name of the person buried there and often words about them. tree →
2. In films and games, tombstones are often used for spooky graveyard scenes. tree →

In the lessons

In history lessons, old tombstones in churchyards are sources about people from the past: names, ages, families. In church life a tombstone (also called a gravestone or headstone) marks where someone is buried, and visiting is a way to remember them; visitors should be respectful and quiet. Phrases: «carved on the tombstone», «an old tombstone», «tombstone inscription».

Examples

• The tombstone was covered in moss. tree →
• We read the names on old tombstones in the churchyard. tree →
• The tombstone said «Beloved mother and grandmother». tree →
• In history we used tombstones to find out how long people lived. tree →
• Please don't climb on the tombstones; it is disrespectful. tree →
• At Halloween the house had pretend tombstones in the garden. tree →
• Then she saw on one of the broad tombstones a group of ghouls. tree →

Note

Countable. Similar words: gravestone, headstone. The «b» in «tomb» is silent: «TOOM-stone». A tomb is the burial place; the tombstone is the stone that marks it.