MEANING
1. To dig up something buried, especially human remains.
2. Figuratively, to recover something long concealed or forgotten and bring it back into discussion.
Use it for
Reopened graves, forensic investigations, revived buried histories.Make recovery of the past an active disturbance rather than a chance glimpse.
Words that belong together
- disinter a body
- disinter the remains
- disinter an old controversy
On the page
The court authorized them to disinter the body.
Workers disinterred three coffins during the repairs.
Her biography disinterred a scandal the family thought forgotten.
Nearby words
Opposite meanings
Related words
Word forms
- Base
- disinter / disinters
- Past tense
- disinterred
- Past participle
- disinterred
- Present participle
- disinterring
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- disinter / disinters
- Present continuous
- am/is/are disinterring
- Present perfect
- have/has disinterred
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been disinterring
- Past
- disinterred
- Past continuous
- was/were disinterring
- Past perfect
- had disinterred
- Past perfect continuous
- had been disinterring
- Future
- will disinter / disinters
- Future continuous
- will be disinterring
- Future perfect
- will have disinterred
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been disinterring
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Usage notes
Primary category: gothic. Also figuratively to bring something long hidden back to attention; not merely discover a tomb without removing its contents. Verb: disinter, disinters, disinterred, disinterred, disinterring. Derived noun disinterment.
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