verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
UK:/ɛksˈ(h)juːm/
UK:/ɪɡˈzjuːm/
US:/ɛkˈs(j)um/
US:/ɪɡˈz(j)um/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -uːm
CMU ARPABET:EH0 K S HH Y UW1 M
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
verb
Meaning 1
To dig out of the ground; to take out of a place of burial; to disinter.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
The archeologist exhumed artifacts from the ground with a shovel.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
To uncover; to bring to light.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, transitive
Examples
Long dead traditions are exhumed just for the tourists.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
dig up for reburial or for medical investigation; of dead bodies
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: disinter
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: excavate, dig up, turn up
History
Etymology
From Medieval Latin exhumō, from Latin ex- + humō (“to bury”).
Across languages
Translations
46 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Armenian:
արտաշիրիմել
(artaširimel)
— To dig out of the ground; to take out of a place of burial; to disinter
Aromanian:
dizgrop
— To dig out of the ground; to take out of a place of burial; to disinter
Bulgarian:
изра́вям
(izrávjam)
— To dig out of the ground; to take out of a place of burial; to disinter
Bulgarian:
ексхуми́рам
(ekshumíram)
— To dig out of the ground; to take out of a place of burial; to disinter
Catalan:
exhumar
— To dig out of the ground; to take out of a place of burial; to disinter
Chinese Mandarin:
發掘 /发掘
(fājué)
— To dig out of the ground; to take out of a place of burial; to disinter
Czech:
exhumovat
— To dig out of the ground; to take out of a place of burial; to disinter
Dutch:
opgraven
— To dig out of the ground; to take out of a place of burial; to disinter
Finnish:
kaivaa ylös
— To dig out of the ground; to take out of a place of burial; to disinter
French:
exhumer
— To dig out of the ground; to take out of a place of burial; to disinter
Galician:
desenterrar
— To dig out of the ground; to take out of a place of burial; to disinter
Galician:
exhumar
— To dig out of the ground; to take out of a place of burial; to disinter
German:
exhumieren
— To dig out of the ground; to take out of a place of burial; to disinter
Hawaiian:
huaʻi
— To dig out of the ground; to take out of a place of burial; to disinter
Hungarian:
kiás
— To dig out of the ground; to take out of a place of burial; to disinter
Hungarian:
kihantol
— To dig out of the ground; to take out of a place of burial; to disinter
Hungarian:
exhumál
— To dig out of the ground; to take out of a place of burial; to disinter
Icelandic:
grafa upp
— To dig out of the ground; to take out of a place of burial; to disinter
Ido:
ekterigar
— To dig out of the ground; to take out of a place of burial; to disinter
Ido:
dessepultar
— To dig out of the ground; to take out of a place of burial; to disinter
Irish:
dí-adhlaic
— To dig out of the ground; to take out of a place of burial; to disinter
Italian:
esumare
— To dig out of the ground; to take out of a place of burial; to disinter
Japanese:
掘り出す
(horidasu)
— To dig out of the ground; to take out of a place of burial; to disinter
Japanese:
掘り起こす
(horiokosu)
— To dig out of the ground; to take out of a place of burial; to disinter
Japanese:
発掘する
(hakkutsu suru)
— To dig out of the ground; to take out of a place of burial; to disinter
Māori:
huaki
— To dig out of the ground; to take out of a place of burial; to disinter
Māori:
hahu
— To dig out of the ground; to take out of a place of burial; to disinter
Māori:
ehu
— To dig out of the ground; to take out of a place of burial; to disinter
Polish:
ekshumować
— To dig out of the ground; to take out of a place of burial; to disinter
Portuguese:
exumar
— To dig out of the ground; to take out of a place of burial; to disinter
Portuguese:
desenterrar
— To dig out of the ground; to take out of a place of burial; to disinter
Romanian:
exhuma
— To dig out of the ground; to take out of a place of burial; to disinter
Romanian:
deshuma
— To dig out of the ground; to take out of a place of burial; to disinter
Romanian:
dezgropa
— To dig out of the ground; to take out of a place of burial; to disinter
Russian:
эксгуми́ровать
(eksgumírovatʹ)
— To dig out of the ground; to take out of a place of burial; to disinter
Russian:
выка́пывать
(vykápyvatʹ)
— To dig out of the ground; to take out of a place of burial; to disinter
Russian:
вы́копать
(výkopatʹ)
— To dig out of the ground; to take out of a place of burial; to disinter
Russian:
вырыва́ть
(vyryvátʹ)
— To dig out of the ground; to take out of a place of burial; to disinter
Russian:
вы́рыть
(výrytʹ)
— To dig out of the ground; to take out of a place of burial; to disinter
Spanish:
exhumar
— To dig out of the ground; to take out of a place of burial; to disinter
Swedish:
gräva upp
— To dig out of the ground; to take out of a place of burial; to disinter
Swedish:
exhumera
— To dig out of the ground; to take out of a place of burial; to disinter
Ukrainian:
ексгумува́ти
(ekshumuváty)
— To dig out of the ground; to take out of a place of burial; to disinter
Walloon:
coir
— To dig out of the ground; to take out of a place of burial; to disinter
Welsh:
datgladdu
— To dig out of the ground; to take out of a place of burial; to disinter
