gravestone

gravestone — noun

1. A carved stone placed at a burial site that tells who lies beneath it, usually s

1.nounB2
Definition

A carved stone placed at a burial site that tells who lies beneath it, usually showing the person's name, the years they lived, and sometimes a brief message.

Example

Theo's grandmother visits the gravestone every Sunday to leave fresh flowers.

collocation: visit a gravestone

Rain had worn the inscription off a weathered gravestone at the old graveyard.

passive: worn away by weather

Common collocations
  • carve on a gravestone
  • inscription on a gravestone
  • erect a gravestone
  • visit a gravestone
  • clean a gravestone
  • plain gravestone
  • granite gravestone
  • marble gravestone
  • weathered gravestone
Synonyms
  • headstone

    specifically the upright stone positioned at the head end of a grave — more precise than gravestone

  • tombstone

    often implies a larger, more ornate monument; can refer to any stone above a tomb

  • grave marker

    a broader term that includes flat plaques, metal plates, or wooden crosses, not just stone

Usage Note

Of the three common synonyms (gravestone, headstone, tombstone), gravestone is the most general and neutral term. It does not specify the shape or size of the stone. Headstone specifically refers to an upright stone at the head of a grave, while tombstone often suggests a larger or more elaborate monument.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four terms refer to something placed on or above a grave to mark the burial location. Gravestone is the broadest and most neutral term — it can describe any stone at a grave, whether upright or flat, large or small. Headstone is more specific: it always means an upright stone set at the head of the grave, often with a flat base. Tombstone originally referred to the stone slab covering a tomb but is now used loosely for any memorial stone, often suggesting a bigger or fancier monument than a simple gravestone. Grave marker is the widest category — it includes stone, metal plaques, wooden crosses, or any object that indicates a burial spot. In everyday use, gravestone and headstone are largely interchangeable for upright stones, but if you want to be precise about position, use headstone; if you want to describe any stone on a grave without specifying shape, use gravestone. For example: 'The cemetery has both flat grave markers and upright headstones.' 'A simple gravestone with only a name and two dates.' 'The old tombstone was carved with an angel and cost a small fortune in 1900.'

gravestone ↗headstonetombstonegrave marker

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • erect a gravestone
  • place a gravestone
  • visit a gravestone
  • clean a gravestone
  • restore a gravestone
  • read the inscription on a gravestone
  • lay flowers at a gravestone

Prepositions

  • on a gravestone
  • at a gravestone
  • across a gravestone
  • over a gravestone
  • carved on a gravestone
  • inscribed on a gravestone

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

Gravestone is a compound of 'grave' (from Old English græf, meaning 'a trench or burial pit') and 'stone' (from Old English stān, meaning 'a piece of rock'). The combination has been recorded since the late 1300s, replacing earlier terms like 'burial stone' and 'memorial stone' as the usual English word for a carved stone at a burial site.