From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishsarcophagussar‧coph‧a‧gus /sɑːˈkɒfəɡəs $ sɑːrˈkɑː-/ noun (plural sarcophagi /-ɡaɪ/) [countable] MXa decorated stone box for a dead body, used in ancient times
Examples from the Corpus
sarcophagus• Stylianos Alexiou describes pictures on a sarcophagus that show music being played at a bull sacrifice.• In the centre stood a sarcophagus.• Catherine of Siena enshrined in the artistic golden sarcophagus which has been admired by succeeding generations of her clients.• The building of the now leaking sarcophagus alone cost an astonishing amount of money, on the best estimate available.• But they win often enough that the sarcophagus in the classroom is slowly filling up with symbols of each victory.• The sarcophagus can be decorated in as much detail as you like, and could be painted quite elaborately.• The Agia Triadha sarcophagus shows birds perched on double-axes, indicating the presence of a deity.Origin sarcophagus (1600-1700) Latin sarcophagus (lapis) “stone for making coffins”, from Greek (lithos) sarkophagos “flesh-eating stone”, from sarx “flesh” 