funeribus

Funeribus is a Latin grammatical form of the noun funus, funeris, meaning funeral, death, or the funeral rites. It is the dative plural and the ablative plural of this neuter third-declension noun. Other plural forms include funera as the nominative and accusative plural. The genitive singular is funeris, and the singular forms include funus (nominative/accusative), funeris (genitive), funeri (dative), and funere (ablative).

In usage, funeribus expresses meanings such as “to/for the funerals” (dative plural) or “by/with the funerals” (ablative plural). It can appear in phrases like funeribus celebrandis (for the celebration of funerals) or in prose and poetry referring to the rites surrounding death. The term encompasses both the physical aspects of the corpse and the ceremonial practices associated with mourning and farewell.

Culturally, the concept of the funeral in ancient Rome and other Latin-speaking communities included cremation or burial, mourning customs, and public or familial rites. The word funus could denote the rite itself, the deceased, or the ceremonial events that followed death, depending on context. In Latin texts, funeribus thus functions as a grammatical vehicle for describing these rites in the plural, rather than as a standalone event.

Etymologically, funeribus belongs to the Latin lexicon derived from funus, with Romance languages deriving related terms such as Italian funerale and French funérailles. In scholarly work on Latin, funeribus is encountered in theological, legal, historical, and literary contexts to discuss funerary practice and commemoration.