headstone
UK[ˈhedstəʊn]US[ˈhedstoʊn]
n
a stone that is placed at one end of a grave, usually with the name of the person who has died and other details written on it.
Morpheme Breakdown
head
stone
head
stone
Etymology
the word 'headstone' is a transparent compound formed from two old english roots. 'head' derives from proto-germanic 'haubudą' and ultimately from pie 'káput-', meaning skull or head. 'stone' comes from proto-germanic 'stainaz'. in old english, the compound 'hēafodstān' literally meant the primary or top stone. this term was originally used in a general architectural sense for a cornerstone or a keystone. by the mid-18th century, its application specialized to funerary contexts, where it logically denotes the principal stone marker placed at the 'head' of a grave, distinguishing it from other stones like footstones.
Analysis
Structure: head + stone
head (from old english 'hēafod', meaning the upper part of the body or the top/front part of something; functions as a modifier). stone (from old english 'stān', meaning a piece of rock; functions as the core noun).
Examples
the weathered headstone bore a name and dates that were barely legible.
they chose a simple granite headstone for their grandfather's grave.
the old cemetery was filled with ornate headstones from the victorian era.