Morgue

A morgue or mortuary is a building or room (as in a hospital) used for the storage of human remains.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Morgue is predominately used in American English, whilst mortuary is more common in British English. It originally referred to a building in Paris, France, the Morgue, where bodies were kept until identified. The term morgue is derived from French morguer, to look at solemnly, to defy. The term was first used to describe the inner wicket of a prison, where prisoners were kept for some time, that the jailers and turnkeys might view them at their leisure, so as to be able to recognize them when occasion required. Relating to dead people, the name was first given to a building in Paris which in the middle of the fifth century was part of the Châtelet and was used for the keeping and identification of unknown corpses.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Probably because it is in a sense where the "dead bodies" are kept, the term morgue is also used in the USA to refer to the room where newspaper or magazine publishers keep their back issues and other historical references.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

American English: American English (AmE) is the form of the English language used mostly in the United States of America. It is the primary language used in the United States. As of 2005, more than two-thirds of native speakers of English use various forms of American English. American English is also sometimes calle...

British English: British English (BrE) is a term used loosely to refer to the form of the English language written in the British Isles, and more narrowly as spoken in the south of England (extending elsewhere with varying degrees). For historical reasons dating back to the rise of London in the 9th century, the var...

Paris, France: REDIRECT Paris...

Morgue related Images and Photos (experimental)

Phantom of the Rue Morgue UK Movie Poster 1954	Murders in the Rue Morgue Bela Lugosi on Window Card 1932	Murders In The Rue Morgue	Illustration for "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" by Edgar Allan Poe
An Assortment of Visitors to a French Morgue