disinter

/ˌdɪsɪnˈtɜː(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌdɪsɪnˈtɜːr/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌdis-in-ˈtər/ (ame, mw)

disinter — verb

  • disinterpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • disintershe / she / it
  • disinterredpast simple
  • disinterring-ing form

1. to take a buried body out of its grave so it can be examined or buried again

1.動詞及物C2
釋義

to take a buried body out of its grave so it can be examined or buried again

例句

Liang disinterred the bones after the police reopened the case.

disinter + remains in a reopened investigation

After the flood, workers disinterred the coffin from the hillside cemetery.

同義詞
  • exhume

    the closest formal synonym, especially in legal or medical contexts

  • unearth

    broader and less formal; it can also refer to objects or information

反義詞
  • bury

    place a body in the ground

  • inter

    a formal verb meaning to bury a body

文法句型

disinter + body/remains/coffin

be disinterred from + grave/tomb

用法筆記

This sense usually refers to remains, bones, or coffins, and it often appears in legal, forensic, or archaeological reporting. It is much more formal than the everyday verb dig up.

常見錯誤

❌The crew disinterred a hole for the new pipe.
✅The crew dug a hole for the new pipe.
💡disinter is used for buried remains, not for ordinary digging.

2. to uncover and bring back into use something long forgotten, hidden, or ignored

2.動詞及物C2
釋義

to uncover and bring back into use something long forgotten, hidden, or ignored

例句

Jessica disinterred an old recipe notebook from her grandmother's kitchen drawer.

disinter + old object from a hidden place

Wei disinterred school records that proved his grandfather owned the shop.

同義詞
  • recover

    focuses on getting something back, without the image of digging it up

  • rediscover

    stresses finding value in something again after a long gap

  • unearth

    more common and less formal; often used for new discoveries

反義詞
  • hide

    put something where it will not be found easily

  • bury

    leave something forgotten or ignored instead of bringing it back

文法句型

disinter + records/evidence/object

disinter + item + from + drawer/archive/storage

用法筆記

The object is usually evidence, papers, artworks, or stored items rather than a body. Compared with sense 1, this use is figurative and stresses bringing something back into attention or use.

常見錯誤

❌I disinterred the keys from my coat pocket.
✅I took the keys out of my coat pocket.
💡disinter suggests something buried, hidden for a long time, or forgotten.