exhume

verb

ex·​hume ig-ˈzüm 

igz-ˈyüm,

iks-ˈ(h)yüm 

exhumed; exhuming

transitive verb

1

: disinter

exhume a body

2

: to bring back from neglect or obscurity

exhumed a great deal of information from the archives

exhumation

ˌeks-(h)yü-ˈmā-shən 

ˌeg-zü-

ˌegz-yü- 

noun

exhumer

ig-ˈzü-mər 

igz-ˈyü-

iks-ˈ(h)yü-

noun

Synonyms

• disinter
• unearth

Examples of exhume in a Sentence

the remains of John Paul Jones were exhumed in Paris and transported with great ceremony to the U.S. Naval Academy

Recent Examples on the Web

After the investigation reopened, the child's remains were exhumed and sent to the FBI for a forensic autopsy. —Liam Quinn, People.com, 31 Mar. 2025

The remains of Tammy Daybell were exhumed in December 2019, an autopsy was performed and her cause of death was determined to be asphyxiation. —Kerry Breen, CBS News, 31 Mar. 2025

Detectives requested to exhume the remains found in Arches National Park, but before the request was granted detectives discovered the body’s DNA on file in NamUs that another local agency had entered years earlier, officials said. —Brooke Baitinger, Idaho Statesman, 21 Mar. 2025

There were 419 skeletons of enslaved people exhumed and reburied there in 1991. —Herb Boyd, New York Daily News, 1 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Medieval Latin exhumare, from Latin ex out of + humus earth — more at ex-, humble

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for exhume

• assume
• backroom
• ballroom
• barroom
• bathroom
• bedroom
• boardroom
• bridegroom
• classroom
• cloakroom
• consume
• costume

Kids Definition

exhume

verb

ex·​hume igz-ˈ(y)üm 

iks-ˈ(h)yüm

exhumed; exhuming

: to remove from a place of burial

exhumation

ˌeks-(h)yü-ˈmā-shən 

ˌegz-(y)ü-

noun

Medical Definition

exhume

transitive verb

ex·​hume igz-ˈ(y)üm  iks-ˈ(h)yüm 

exhumed; exhuming

: disinter

the body was exhumed for an autopsy

exhumation

ˌeks-(h)yü-ˈmā-shən  ˌegz-(y)ü- 

noun