cemetery
UK[ˈsɛmɪtri]US[ˈsɛmɪtɛri]
n
A place where dead people are buried, especially one that is not part of a church.
Etymology
The word 'cemetery' entered English in the late 14th century from Old French 'cimetiere', which itself derived from Late Latin 'coemeterium'. This Latin term was a borrowing from Greek 'koimētērion', meaning "a sleeping place, dormitory". The Greek root is 'koiman', "to put to sleep", a euphemism for death. This semantic shift from "sleeping place" to "burial ground" reflects a common ancient metaphor, viewing death as a form of eternal rest. The word gradually replaced the more direct Old English 'licburg' (body-town) as the standard term, carrying with it this softer, more poetic conception of the final resting place.
Analysis
The word is a simplex loanword from French. It cannot be meaningfully segmented into productive morphemes in modern English spelling without resorting to etymological forms not present in the word itself.
Examples
The old cemetery on the hill is surrounded by an iron fence.
Many historical figures are buried in the city's largest cemetery.
They placed fresh flowers on the grave every time they visited the cemetery.