tombe

Tombe is a French noun meaning tomb or grave. In everyday usage, la tombe refers to the burial place of a person, whether marked by a grave, tombstone, or mausoleum. The term is widely used in cemeteries, religious settings, and discussions of death, memory, and ancestry; in English texts it is commonly translated as tomb.

Etymology: The word derives from Latin tumba ‘tomb, mound,’ via Old French tombe. The English cognate tomb shares the same origin. The feminine noun is la tombe; plural tombes. The final 'e' is part of the standard spelling rather than a suffix.

Other grammatical use: The form tombe exists as the third-person singular present indicative of the verb tomber, meaning 'he/she/it falls.' In this sense, il tombe appears frequently in French. The past participle of tomber is tombé, unrelated to the noun's meaning.

Related terms: Tombeau is another French word for a tomb, often denoting a tomb meant as a monument or a commemorative memorial. The concept of the tomb covers funerary architecture, effigies, and inscriptions that mark and honor the deceased. In English-language contexts, the noun tomb or grave is more common, while tombe remains primarily a French term.