Catafalque
/ˈkætəˌfɔːlk/noun
A decorated platform or structure used to support a coffin during a funeral or lying in state.
Did you know?Catafalque entered English through French and Italian, and its exact deeper origin is uncertain, which is fitting for a word tied to staged death and public mourning.
Etymological Timeline
Modern English
English
catafalque
“A funeral platform or ceremonial structure for a coffin.”
17th Century
French
catafalque
“A ceremonial funeral framework or stand.”
16th Century
Italian
catafalco
“A temporary funeral scaffold or decorated platform.”
Earlier Italian/Medieval Latin
Late Latin
catafalicum
“A term used for a scaffold or support structure, especially in ceremonial contexts.”
Origin uncertain
Unknown
?
“The deeper source is disputed; proposals include connection to a scaffold-like structure, but no consensus exists.”