1 a large esp. underground vault for the burial of the dead.
2 an enclosure cut in the earth or in rock to receive a dead body.
3 a sepulchral monument.
4 (prec. by the) the state of death.
Etymology: ME t(o)umbe f. AF tumbe, OF tombe f. LL tumba f. Gk tumbos
Useful english dictionary. 2012.