Legal Definitions - mortuary

A mortuary is a place where dead bodies are prepared for burial and held before burial. It can also refer to a burial place or a customary gift left by a deceased to a parish church for past tithes owed.

• After her grandfather passed away, his body was taken to the mortuary to be prepared for the funeral.
• The family visited the mortuary to view their loved one's body before the burial.
• In the past, it was common for people to leave a mortuary as a gift to their local church.

These examples illustrate the different ways in which the term "mortuary" can be used. The first two examples show how a mortuary is a place where dead bodies are prepared and held before burial. The third example shows how "mortuary" can also refer to a gift left by a deceased to a church.