croque-mort

undertaker, pallbearer (informal)

noun krok-MOR Rare

Origin: literally 'death-biter'

Usage Note

Croque-mort is a colloquial, slightly humorous term for a funeral home worker or undertaker; the formal term is employé des pompes funèbres. The plural is croque-morts. The compound evokes a dark folk image and is now common in casual speech without sounding offensive.

Examples

"Le croque-mort portait un costume sombre."

Natural Translation

The undertaker wore a dark suit.

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