sepulchral
UK: sɪˈpʌlkrəl | US: səˈpʌlkrəl
adj. relating to a tomb or burial
adj. gloomy or dismal, suggestive of death
The word "sepulchral" derives from the Latin "sepulcrum" (tomb), which itself comes from "sepelire" (to bury). The suffix "-al" was added in Late Middle English to form the adjective. The morpheme "sepulch" preserves the core idea of burial, while "-al" standardizes it as a descriptive term. Over time, the word expanded beyond literal burial contexts to describe anything evoking the solemnity or gloom of death.
The abandoned church had a sepulchral silence.
His voice took on a sepulchral tone when speaking of the tragedy.
The cave's damp air felt almost sepulchral.
She shuddered at the sepulchral imagery in the poem.
The museum's exhibit recreated a sepulchral chamber from ancient Egypt.