fúnebre

Fúnebre is a Spanish adjective meaning related to funerals or mourning, and by extension somber or sorrowful in character. It is used in a variety of contexts to describe ceremonies, atmospheres, or works that convey mourning. Common fixed expressions include acto fúnebre (funeral service), música fúnebre (funeral music), and tono fúnebre (funereal tone). The feminine form is fúnebra and the plural form is fúnebres.

Etymology and related terms: fúnebre derives from the Latin funebris, itself from funus, the term for a funeral rite. It is cognate with related terms in other Romance languages, such as French funèbre and Italian funebre. In Spanish usage, fúnebre and fúnebra are the standard adjectives, with fúnebridad sometimes appearing as a noun-like attribute describing mournfulness (though more common are phrases like “ambiente fúnebre” or “acto fúnebre”).

Usage: The word commonly appears in literature, journalism, religious contexts, and cultural discourse to denote solemnity associated with death or mourning. It often carries a tonal or stylistic implication, as in “un tono fúnebre” or “una atmósfera fúnebre,” indicating gravity, sadness, or homage. In music and arts, it labels works or movements intended to evoke grief or remembrance, such as “marcha fúnebre” (funeral march) or “pieza fúnebre.”

See also: fúneo, funeral, dirge, mourning, funereal.

Note: In English-language contexts, fúnebre is typically encountered in translations or titles within Spanish-language works, where it carries the same sense of funeral-related or mournful character.