here is a glossary of commonly used, and often misused, words and terms surrounding funeral service. Some you may never use, and some we never actually use, but to take some of the misunderstanding and mystery out of making funeral arrangements, here is some help. Thanks to Jeff Smith for helping to compile this list.
Burial and Cemetery Terms-
Crypt: An above ground space capable of holding a casket.
Lawn Crypt: The pre-constructed, pre-buried vault in the ground capable of holding a casket.
Mausoleum Crypt: An above ground space in a mausoleum (building) capable of holding a casket. A space in a mausoleum capable of holding two caskets.
Endowment Care or Perpetual Care: A trust fund established to provide for the permanent upkeep and care of cemetery buildings and grounds.
Entombment: The placement of human remains in a crypt.
Funeral Service: A type of service where often the body is present in a casket.
Interment: the burial of a deceased body.
Liner: also called a Grave Box, it is an un-sealed, non-protective outer container used to encase a casket for ground burial. It is usually not required by law, however, most cemeteries require this minimum outer container to support the earth above the casket.
Lot
A group of graves in the same space of land designated for the burial of human remains.
Mausoleum: A permanent building above or partially above ground for the entombment of human remains.
Memorial on Monument: A headstone, monument, marker, name-plate or inscription identifying human remains or cremated remains (also called memorialization).
Memorial Service: A type service that may be with or without a casket, body or urn present. Can be held in a church, funeral home, or nearly any location.
Opening and Closing: The preparation of a grave, space, crypt or niche to receive the human remains or cremated remains and the sealing of the grave, space, crypt, or niche after interment. Often the digging of an earth grave.
Plot: Two or more adjoining graves, crypts, or niches in a cemetery or mausoleum.
Vase: A receptacle for the placement of flowers on a grave, crypt, or niche.
Vault: A sealed, protective outer container used for the burial of a casket. An upgrade from a non-sealing grave liner. Often made of concrete with a fiberglass, plastic, or metal lining.
Viewing: Usually a private, set time where family members can view the decedent and make formal identification prior to cremation or burial.
Wake, visiting hours, visitation, or calling hours: A set time period where family and friends can visit a bereaved family to offer condolences, and often to view the deceased to say good bye.
Cremation Terms-
Columbarium: The arrangement of niches in a building, or a room, for the display of urns containing cremated remains.
Cremated Remains, Cremains: Often called ashes, it is the human remains after the cremation process is complete
Interment: The disposition of remains by burial, either a casket or an urn.
Inurnment: The placing of cremated remains in a grave or niche.
Memorial Service: A type of funeral service where the body is not present.
Niche: A space capable of holding cremated remains.
Opening and Closing: The preparation of a grave, space, crypt or niche to receive the human remains or cremated remains and the sealing of the grave, space, crypt, or niche after interment. Often the digging of an earth grave.
Plot: Two or more adjoining graves, crypts, or niches.
Scattering: The spreading of cremated remains in a designated area, on land or at sea.
Urn: A receptacle into which cremated remains are placed.
Urn Vault: A sealed, protective outer container for an urn that is to be buried in the ground.
Viewing: A scheduled time where family members can view the deceased. It can be a public wake, a private gathering, or a formal identification prior to cremation or burial.
Wake, visiting hours, visitation or calling hours: A set time period where family and friends can visit a bereaved family to offer condolences and often view the deceased to say good bye.
