The term morgue was introduced in the late 18th century from French, where it referenced a specific establishment in Paris known as La Morgue, utilized for exhibiting unidentified corpses, particularly those recovered from the Seine River. Prior to this, La Morgue functioned as a location for identifying newly detained Parisian prisoners. The origin of the name is believed to be from the French term morgue, meaning “arrogance” or “pride”, possibly in relation to the disdainful expressions of the jailers processing the offenders. This term can be traced back to the Old French verb morguer, signifying “to gaze solemnly”. Morguer has roots in Vulgar Latin murricare (“to make a face”) and murrum (translating to “snout”; likely derived from a Celtic language) – showcasing a fascinating evolution of etymology!
