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The Evolution of Hearse
Medieval French used the word herce for a harrow, a farm tool used to break up and smooth the soil. Herce was also applied to a triangular frame that was used for holding candles. Herce was borrowed into Middle English as herse. In those days, a large and decorative framework might be raised over the tomb or coffin of an honored person. Because this framework was often decorated with candles, the word herse was applied to it. A series of slightly changed meanings led to the use of herse (Modern English hearse) for a platform for a corpse or coffin, and from that to a vehicle to carry the dead. The verb hearse emerged late in the 16th century.
Examples of hearse in a Sentence
Ariane Lange, Sacramento Bee, 14 May 2024
After a final reading from the Bible in the church Saturday morning, Luna’s bright white casket traveled by hearse past the colorful mural with six crosses built to honor the bridge victims, and to Glen Haven Memorial Park in Glen Burnie, where he was laid to rest.
—Christine Condon, Baltimore Sun, 11 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for hearse 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hearse.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Hearse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hearse. Accessed 28 May. 2024.
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