A
sarcophagus (plural, sarcophagi; sarcophaguses) is a box-like funeral receptacle for a
corpse, most commonly carved in stone, and displayed above ground, though it may also be buried. The word "sarcophagus" comes from the
Greek sarx meaning "flesh", and
phagein meaning "to eat", hence
sarcophagus means "flesh-eating"; from the phrase
lithos sarkophagos ( ). Since
lithos is Greek for "stone",
lithos sarcophagos means "flesh-eating stone". The word also came to refer to a particular kind of
limestone that was thought to decompose the flesh of corpses interred within it.