exhume

ex·hume

verb \ig-ˈzüm, igz-ˈyüm, iks-ˈ(h)yüm\

ex·humedex·hum·ing

Definition of EXHUME

transitive verb

1

: disinter <exhume a body>

2

: to bring back from neglect or obscurity <exhumed a great deal of information from the archives>

— ex·hu·ma·tion \ˌeks-(h)yü-ˈmā-shən, ˌeg-zü-, ˌegz-yü-\ noun

— ex·hum·er \ig-ˈzü-mər, igz-ˈyü-, iks-ˈ(h)yü-\ noun

Examples of EXHUME

1. <the remains of John Paul Jones were exhumed in Paris and transported with great ceremony to the U.S. Naval Academy>

Origin of EXHUME

Middle English, from Medieval Latin exhumare, from Latin ex out of + humus earth — more at ex-, humble

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to EXHUME

Synonyms: disinter, unearth

Antonyms: bury, entomb, inhume, inter, tomb