mummify

verb

mum·​mi·​fy ˈmə-mi-ˌfī How to pronounce mummify (audio)
mummified; mummifying
Synonyms of mummifynext

transitive verb

1
: to embalm and dry as or as if a mummy
2
a
: to make into or like a mummy
b
: to cause to dry up and shrivel

intransitive verb

: to dry up and shrivel like a mummy
mummification
ˌmə-mi-fə-ˈkā-shən How to pronounce mummify (audio)
noun

Examples of mummify in a Sentence

learning how ancient Egyptians mummified their dead a body that mummified in the desert heat a body that was mummified by the desert heat
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Among these findings were the remains of at least 20 puppies and dogs, which were partially preserved and mummified. — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 23 May 2026 Yuka was found tucked away on a bluff, partially mummified and still covered in a shaggy mat of strawberry blonde hair and some flesh that had remained pink until its discovery. — Evan Bush, NBC news, 14 Nov. 2025 Ötzi died in a glacial area of the Italian Alps; the cold and relatively low oxygen preserved his body, effectively mummifying it for millennia. — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 3 June 2026 The individuals appeared to be mummified when they were found, The New York Post reported, citing sources familiar with the matter. — Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 14 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for mummify

Word History

First Known Use

1628, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mummify was in 1628

Rhymes for mummify

See All Rhymes for mummify

Browse Nearby Words

mummiform
mummify
mummock
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mummify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mummify. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

mummify

verb
mum·​mi·​fy ˈməm-i-ˌfī How to pronounce mummify (audio)
mummified; mummifying
1
: to embalm and dry as or like a mummy
2
: to dry up like the skin of a mummy : shrivel
mummification
ˌməm-i-fə-ˈkā-shən How to pronounce mummify (audio)
noun

Medical Definition

mummify

verb
mum·​mi·​fy ˈməm-i-ˌfī How to pronounce mummify (audio)
mummified; mummifying

transitive verb

1
: to embalm and dry as or as if a mummy
2
a
: to make into or like a mummy
b
: to cause to dry up and shrivel

intransitive verb

: to dry up and shrivel like a mummy
a mummified fetus

More from Merriam-Webster on mummify

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for mummify

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