What is The Difference Between a Gravestone and a Headstone?

In modern times, people tend to use synonyms of “headstone,” “tombstone,” and “gravestone” . However, despite the continuous evolution of languages, words are not always used in this way. They were originally used to describe three different things.

The term "Gravestone" comes from Middle English. Its original usage can be traced back to between 1175 and 1225. At that time, the term specifically referred to the slabs placed on the tomb.

This stone may be engraved with words, dates or the name of the deceased. But it is not like the straight up and down tombstones most people think today. This is a large stone slab, placed horizontally, covering most of the cemetery.

The word "tombstone" first entered English around 1560. It originated in Greece. In Greek, "tymbos" means "tomb" and "stia" means "pebbles". From there, "tymbos" evolved into "tomb" and "stia" evolved into "stone". In this era, many coffins are made of stone. "Tombstone" was originally used to describe the lid of a sarcophagus.

Lastly, the word “headstone” was originally used starting in 1400 as a synonym for “cornerstone”.   A cornerstone is a ceremonial stone that sits at the corner of a building.  It typically joins two exterior walls together.  It can be inscribed with the starting and ending dates of construction, as well as the names of the architect and building owner.  It may also include other interesting details about the building.

The foundation stone is of great significance both in structure and symbolism. They not only contain information about the structure. The foundation stone also provides a reference point for other stones used in the foundation of the building.

Over time, the definition of tombstone has changed. It no longer refers to the cornerstone, but is associated with a tombstone. This development is meaningful. In the initial use, the main feature of the tombstone is the important information of the building. In later usage, it features important information about a person buried in the tomb. By 1775, headstone had completely evolved into a new usage, defined as "the upright stone on top of the tomb."   Just as the word "headstone" has evolved into a description of grave marks, so have "gravestone" and "tombstone" have evolved into descriptions of grave marks. As early as 1711, "tombstone" was first used to denote grave markers. It is unclear when the term "tombstone" officially became this usage.