undertaker
undertaker Lexical Profile
undertaker Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A person whose business is preparing dead bodies for burial or cremation and making arrangements for funerals.
"The local undertaker handled all the logistical arrangements for the family with quiet dignity."
A person who undertakes a task, contract, or business enterprise (now archaic or historical).
"In the seventeenth century, wealthy undertakers financed the drainage of the marshlands in exchange for parcels of reclaimed land."
Word Nuance & Usage
While still widely understood, 'undertaker' is increasingly considered dated in the funeral industry, where 'funeral director' (globally) or 'mortician' (in North America) is preferred in professional contexts.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
First recorded in the late 14th century to mean any person who undertakes a task or enterprise; the specific sense of someone who manages funeral arrangements emerged around 1698 as a shortening of 'funeral undertaker'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.