The word "morgue" is spelled with an "oe" which represents the sound /ɔ/. The letter "o" is pronounced with a rounded lips and the back of the tongue is lowered towards the back of the mouth. The following "u" represents the voiced velar fricative /ɡ/, which is pronounced by vibrating the vocal cords and constricting the airflow in the back of the mouth using the back of the tongue. The word is commonly used to refer to a place where dead bodies are kept before autopsy or burial.
A morgue is a facility, typically housed within a hospital, medical examiner's office, or a funeral home, where deceased bodies are temporarily stored and examined for identification, autopsy, or preservation purposes. The word "morgue" primarily refers to a mortuary or a place designated for handling and processing human remains.
In a morgue, the deceased are stored in refrigerated chambers to slow their decomposition, allowing time for forensic examinations, autopsies, or identification attempts. This controlled environment also helps preserve the bodies until they are released to the next of kin or prepared for burial or cremation.
Furthermore, a morgue serves as a hub for forensic investigations, supporting law enforcement in criminal cases by providing an area for examinations and potentially assisting in identifying the cause of death or signs of foul play. Additionally, medical professionals may use a morgue for research and educational purposes, studying the deceased to enhance their understanding of various diseases, injuries, or other medical conditions.
The word "morgue" originated from French, with its 19th-century meaning referring to a place where unidentified bodies were displayed for public viewing. However, modern-day morgues are typically restricted to authorized personnel to maintain privacy and respect for the deceased and their families.
A building where the unknown dead are kept for a time in order to afford an opportunity of identification before burial.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
The place in some French towns where the bodies of persons found dead are placed, in order to be identified and claimed by their friends.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "morgue" originated from the French term "morguer" which means "to look at solemnly". Morgue comes from the early 17th-century French word "morgue", referring to a place where unidentified bodies were publicly displayed for identification before they were buried or claimed. Later, the term became associated with the place where corpses are kept for autopsies or identified by authorities. Over time, the term "morgue" has come to specifically refer to a place where the bodies of unknown or deceased individuals are stored before being released to families or medical examiners.