graveyard
UK: ˈɡreɪv.jɑːd | US: ˈɡreɪv.jɑːrd
n. a burial ground, especially one beside a church
n. (figurative) a place where discarded or obsolete items accumulate
graveyard = grave<burial place> + yard<enclosed area>
- grave: From Old English græf ("digging, tomb"), related to grafan ("to dig"). Evolved to mean a burial site.
- yard: From Old English geard ("enclosure, garden"), Proto-Germanic gardaz. Retains the sense of a bounded space.
Etymology Origin:
The word graveyard emerged in Middle English (14th century) as a compound of grave and yard, literally meaning "an enclosed area for graves." It reflects the practical need to designate sacred or communal burial spaces near churches. Over time, it gained metaphorical use (e.g., "graveyard of ships") to describe collections of abandoned objects, leveraging the imagery of stillness and finality.
The old graveyard behind the church is filled with weathered tombstones.
The junkyard became a graveyard for broken cars.
She walked through the graveyard at dusk, feeling the weight of history.
The abandoned factory is now a graveyard of outdated machinery.
Silent and eerie, the graveyard was shrouded in mist.