Etymo

necropolis

A large burial ground, especially an ancient one.

Played on · Day 18 · word 1 of 5

A city of the dead.

How necropolis reached English

oldest first
  • nekros‘corpse’
  • polis‘city’

combined

  1. Greek

    Nekrópolis

    ‘city of the dead’

  2. Late Latin

    necropolis

    ‘cemetery’

  3. English

    necropolis

    ‘large cemetery’

The story of necropolis

Necropolis uses Greek components for the dead and a city. The Greek name was associated with a cemetery outside ancient Alexandria before passing through Latin into wider use. A burial ground becomes a settlement in the word’s metaphor.

This view explains the components. They are pieces of one construction, not consecutive borrowing stages.

Source

Merriam-Webster · necropolis

Formation of the word.

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