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Added 9 October 2026

deathbed

/ˈdɛθˌbɛd/ noun

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about deathbed at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

The last few hours before death.
The bed on which a person dies.

Origin

From Middle English dethbed, from Old English dēaþbedd (“deathbed; grave”), equivalent to death + bed. Cognate with Swedish dödsbädd (“deathbed”). Compare also Dutch sterfbed (“deathbed”), German Sterbebett and Totenbett (both “deathbed”), Danish dødsleje (“deathbed”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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