Cenotaph
cenotaph
SEN-uh-taff
noun
A monument to someone buried elsewhere, especially one commemorating people who died in a war
There were many words vying for pole position this week, but as this week’s entry is sandwiched nicely between Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day itself I felt it would be best to have a remembrance themed word.
When people hear the word ‘cenotaph’ they will probably think of the memorial on Whitehall in London. This one may be one of the larger or more well-known cenotaphs in the world but there are actually thousands the world over, as the word refers to any kind of grave or monument for someone whose remains are buried elsewhere or otherwise irretrievable.
The word comes ultimately from the Greek roots ‘kenos’, meaning ‘empty’ and ‘taphos’, meaning ‘tomb’. Ancient Greek writings tell of many cenotaphs in and around the ancient Mediterranean though no Greek ones survive to this day.
The Centoph was designed by the architect Sir Edwin Luytens and was unveiled in 1919, originally as a temporary structure for a parade to mark the end of the First World War. Calls for a permanent structure began almost immediately, and the monument we see today was unveiled by George V on 11 November 1920, as part of a series of ceremonies which included the state funeral for the Unknown Warrior at Westminster Abbey.