homegoing
noun
home·go·ing
ˈhōm-ˌgō-iŋ 
-ˌgȯ(-)iŋ
plural homegoings
chiefly US, especially in the culture of African Americans
: a person's death understood as a return to home
Even during 16 years of disability …, his life was filled with joy. The celebration of his homegoing will be 1:00 p.m. Thursday, February 4 …—
The Daily Oklahoman (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
The Daily Oklahoman (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
often
: a service marking a person's death
Those who gather at Poitier's Funeral Home on Friday night for Hubert Lee's homegoing greet each other with open arms and smiles. —Deborah Work
Deborah Work These homegoings are among the most recent public memorials that reinforce a long legacy in the African American community. Going as far back as slavery, they were the only way for Black people to bury their loved ones. Slaves viewed death as the only true way to be free as they could not return to their native Africa; death meant their souls could go home to the Lord. —Candice Frederick
—often used before another noun Candice Frederick a homegoing service/celebration
Examples of homegoing in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Popular Atlanta radio host Wanda Smith, who died on Oct. 12, will have a public viewing and homegoing service on Nov. 3 and 4.
—Axios Atlanta, Axios, 22 Oct. 2024
After Whitney was found dead on Feb. 11, 2012, in her hotel bathtub, Cissy wrote an emotional open letter in the program of her late daughter's homegoing service.
—Brendan Le, People.com, 7 Oct. 2024
The very achievement of the project is a statement in Pan-Africanist creative praxis, sourcing talent from those familiar with the ethos of homegoing and Black connectivity Wolle wanted to invoke, situating itself in the specific inheritances of Ethiopian history.
—Essence, 16 Sep. 2024
Adding to the layers of meaning behind this project, Smith recently discovered his own Nigerian ancestry and looked to this project as an exercise in homegoing.
—Essence, 24 July 2024
At some homegoing services, people wear memorial T-shirts emblazoned with photographs of the dead that note the span of years between the loved one’s sunrise and sunset.
—Edwidge Danticat, The New Yorker, 1 July 2024
On Saturday, Hardy's homegoing celebration is taking place and begins with a family hour at 10 a.m. followed by an 11 a.m. homegoing service.
—Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 10 Mar. 2024
And many people, less traditional than their parents, forgo the traditional homegoing altogether.
—Allison Jiang, New York Times, 5 Feb. 2024
Family and friends will gather to celebrate her life at 4 p.m. Friday in Concord Baptist Church in Milton, where a service will begin at 6 p.m. A homegoing service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday in Full Life Gospel Center in Dorchester.
—Bryan Marquard, BostonGlobe.com, 2 July 2023
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Axios Atlanta, Axios, 22 Oct. 2024
After Whitney was found dead on Feb. 11, 2012, in her hotel bathtub, Cissy wrote an emotional open letter in the program of her late daughter's homegoing service.
—Brendan Le, People.com, 7 Oct. 2024
The very achievement of the project is a statement in Pan-Africanist creative praxis, sourcing talent from those familiar with the ethos of homegoing and Black connectivity Wolle wanted to invoke, situating itself in the specific inheritances of Ethiopian history.
—Essence, 16 Sep. 2024
Adding to the layers of meaning behind this project, Smith recently discovered his own Nigerian ancestry and looked to this project as an exercise in homegoing.
—Essence, 24 July 2024
At some homegoing services, people wear memorial T-shirts emblazoned with photographs of the dead that note the span of years between the loved one’s sunrise and sunset.
—Edwidge Danticat, The New Yorker, 1 July 2024
On Saturday, Hardy's homegoing celebration is taking place and begins with a family hour at 10 a.m. followed by an 11 a.m. homegoing service.
—Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 10 Mar. 2024
And many people, less traditional than their parents, forgo the traditional homegoing altogether.
—Allison Jiang, New York Times, 5 Feb. 2024
Family and friends will gather to celebrate her life at 4 p.m. Friday in Concord Baptist Church in Milton, where a service will begin at 6 p.m. A homegoing service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday in Full Life Gospel Center in Dorchester.
—Bryan Marquard, BostonGlobe.com, 2 July 2023
Dictionary Entries Near homegoing
Cite this Entry
“Homegoing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/homegoing. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share