death certificate

noun

: an official document that gives information about a person's death (such as when and how the death happened)

Examples of death certificate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Harford, 34, initially faced a total of 12 counts, including abuse of a corpse, forgery of a death certificate, and theft. —Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2025

Underlying causes listed on Kilmer's death certificate include acute hypoxemic respiratory failure, chronic respiratory failure, and squamous cell carcinoma of the base of the tongue. —Bailey Richards, People.com, 10 Apr. 2025

The family hasn’t yet received a death certificate from Israel, Ahmad said Friday, and is hoping Solomon’s report will help bring his son’s body home. —Sam Mednick, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2025

The insurance company pays the benefits after receiving the death certificate and other information. —Bob Carlson, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025

Legal Definition

death certificate

noun

: a document setting forth information (as age, occupation, and place of birth) relating to a dead person and including a doctor's certification of the cause of death

Note: Death certificates are issued by a particular public official, as a city or town clerk. A death certificate is required to document a person's death for certain purposes, as to file an estate tax return or to probate an estate.