Dirge – A song or hymn of grief often as part of a funeral

(Pronounced durj)

To remember the definition of the word dirge, use the following mnemonic:

Spreading dirt over the grave, I was on the verge (dirge) of tears as a sad song of grief was sung at the funeral.

Examples of dirge in a sentence

Although the dirge was out of tune, everyone appreciated the bravery it took to sing in front of so many people.

Paul did not start to cry at his best friend’s wake until he was asked to sing a dirge about his friend.

Because I am a poet, my friend asked me to write a dirge to honour her husband at his funeral.