Glossary
What is headstone?
A headstone is the marker placed at a grave to identify the person buried there, usually inscribed with their name and dates. Also called a grave marker or monument, it can be a flat marker set level with the ground or an upright stone, and is bought and installed separately from the funeral.
Cemeteries set rules about what markers they allow — many require flat markers for easier maintenance, while others permit upright monuments. Confirm the rules before ordering.
Prices depend on size, material (usually granite or bronze), and the amount of engraving. A marker is a cemetery-side cost, separate from the funeral home's charges.
Related terms
Burial plot
A burial plot is a specific space in a cemetery reserved for a burial. When you buy a plot you are purchasing the right to be interred there — the right of interment — not the land itself, and cemetery rules govern markers, vaults, and how many remains a plot may hold.
Interment
Interment is the act of placing a body or cremated remains in their final resting place, most often by burying a casket in the ground or entombing it in a crypt. The cemetery fee to open and close the grave is commonly called the interment charge.
Perpetual care
Perpetual care, also called endowment care, is the ongoing upkeep of a cemetery — mowing, landscaping, and general maintenance. A portion of what you pay for a plot goes into a perpetual care fund whose earnings pay for that maintenance over the long term.
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This definition is general information, not legal or financial advice. Laws and prices vary by state and provider. See our editorial standards.