sepulchral

S1E1P3U1L1C3H4R1A1L1
/səˈpʌlkɹəl//səˈpʊlkɹəl/

adjective

Relating to a grave or to death; funereal.

RareScrabble 17

Meanings

adjectivesepulchral (comparative more sepulchral, superlative most sepulchral)

comparative more sepulchral · superlative most sepulchral

  1. Relating to a grave or to death; funereal.
  2. Suggestive of a grave or of death; gloomy; solemn.

    Over and over I found myself visiting homes where the predominant feeling was sepulchral, dusty, and deserted […]

    1999, Cheryl Mendelson, Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House, New York: Scribner, →ISBN, page 6
    1 more example

    He alluded constantly to Europe, to the people I was supposed to know there - putting leading questions as to my acquaintances in the sepulchral city, and so on.

    1899 February, Joseph Conrad, “The Heart of Darkness”, in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, volume CLXV, number M, New York, N.Y.: The Leonard Scott Publishing Company, […], →OCLC, part I, page 214
  3. Having a hollow and deep sound.

    'The Master of Krikkit,' said Slartibartfast again, and if his breathing had been sepulchral before, this time he sounded like someone in Hades with bronchitis.

    1995, Douglas Adams, The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy: a Trilogy in Five Parts, →ISBN, page 367
    1 more example

    As for your treatment of ME," concluded Uncle Tinfish, almost having another disaster to his vocal chords at the thought of it, "I wash my hands of you, sir - I renounce you - I " Uncle Tinfish's voice was suddenly lowered to a tone of sepulchral hollowness.

    1913, Norman Lindsay, A Curate in Bohemia, Sydney: N.S.W. Bookstall Co., published 1932, page 163

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectivegruesomely indicative of death or the dead

adjectivesuited to or suggestive of a grave or burial

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latinsepeliō
  2. Latinsepulcrum
  3. Proto-Indo-European*h₂el-
  4. Proto-Indo-European*h₂élisder.?
  5. Latinsepulcrali
  6. Englishsepulchral

Learned borrowing from Latin sepulcralis.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian гробовен, гробовен
  • гробовен (groboven)suggestive of grave
  • гробовен (groboven)hollow and deep
Catalan sepulcral
  • sepulcralsuggestive of grave
Esperanto sepulteja
  • sepultejasuggestive of grave
Finnish hautamainen
  • hautamainensuggestive of grave
French sépulcral
  • sépulcralsuggestive of grave
German Todes-, Grabes-
  • Todes-suggestive of grave
  • Grabes-suggestive of grave
  • Toten-suggestive of grave
  • düsterhollow and deep
  • Grabes-hollow and deep
Latin sepulcralis
  • sepulcralissuggestive of grave
Polish cmentarny, grobowy
  • cmentarnysuggestive of grave
  • grobowysuggestive of grave
  • nagrobkowysuggestive of grave
  • sepulkralnysuggestive of grave
  • grobowyhollow and deep
Spanish sepulcral, sepulcral
  • sepulcralsuggestive of grave
  • sepulcralhollow and deep
Swedish gravlik
  • gravliksuggestive of grave
Cite this entry
APA

sepulchral. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sepulchral

MLA

“sepulchral.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sepulchral. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sepulchral,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sepulchral.

Source: sepulchral on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.