different between catacomb vs necropolis

English

Etymology

From Old English [Term?], from Late Latin catacumbas, name of the underground cemetery of St. Sebastian in Rome, dissimilation of Latin cata- (“among”) (from Ancient Greek ???? (katá, “under”)) + tumbas (from Ancient Greek ?????? (túmbos, “swell”)).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?kat??k??m/ (less commonly) IPA^(key): /?kat?ku?m/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?kætako?m/, /?kæt?ku?m/

Noun

catacomb (plural catacombs)

1. (often plural) An underground system of tunnels and chambers with recesses for graves, used (in former times) as a cemetery; a tunnel system used for burying the dead, as in Paris or Ancient Rome.

Translations

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Koine Greek ?????????? (nekrópolis, “city of the dead, cemetery”) (used to describe part of the city of Alexandria, Egypt), from Ancient Greek ?????? (nekrós, “dead”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ne?- (“to disappear; to perish”)) + ????? (pólis, “city”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *tpelH- (“city; fortification”)). The English word is analysable as necro- +? -polis, and is cognate with French nécropole, German Nekropolis, Late Latin necropolis.

The plural form necropoleis is derived from Ancient Greek ??????????? (nekropóleis).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /n??k??p?l?s/, /n??k??pl?s/, /n?-/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /n??k??p?l?s/, /n?-/
• Hyphenation: ne?cro?pol?is

Noun

necropolis (plural necropolises or necropoleis or necropoles or necropoli)

1. (chiefly historical, also figuratively) A cemetery; especially a large one in or near a city.

   Synonyms: (rare) necropole; see also Thesaurus:cemetery
2. (archaeology) An ancient site used for burying the dead, particularly if consisting of elaborate grave monuments.

Alternative forms

• nekropolis

Derived terms

• necropolitic

Translations

References

Further reading

• necropolis on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Anagrams

• prosocline

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from Koine Greek ?????????? (nekrópolis, “city of the dead, cemetery”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ne??kro?.po?.l?s/
• Hyphenation: ne?cro?po?lis

Noun

necropolis f (plural necropolissen)

1. necropolis (burial site, esp. an old one)

   Synonyms: dodenstad, knekelstad

Descendants

• Afrikaans: nekropolis