gravestone
UK: ˈɡreɪvstəʊn | US: ˈɡreɪvstoʊn
n. a stone marker placed over a grave, typically inscribed with the deceased's name and dates
The word "gravestone" is a straightforward compound of "grave" (from Old English "græf," meaning "digging" or "burial place") and "stone" (from Old English "stān," meaning "rock"). It emerged in Middle English (14th century) as a literal descriptor for the stone slabs used to mark graves. The combination reflects the practical function of the object—a durable stone marking a burial site.
The weathered gravestone bore the name of a soldier from the 1800s.
She placed flowers on her grandmother's gravestone every spring.
The inscription on the gravestone was barely legible after centuries of erosion.
Archaeologists studied the ancient gravestones to learn about burial customs.
A moss-covered gravestone leaned precariously in the abandoned cemetery.