“Never speak ill of the dead”: meaning, origin and examples
What it means
The phrase Never speak ill of the dead suggests that one should refrain from criticizing people who have passed away out of respect for them and their families, and because the deceased cannot defend themselves.
Tone Respectful
Where it comes from
The sentiment can be traced back to the Latin phrase De mortuis nil nisi bonum, which means Of the dead, [say] nothing but good. It is often attributed to Chilon of Sparta, one of the Seven Sages of Greece.
Examples
- Even though he disliked her when she was alive, he followed the principle of never speaking ill of the dead at her funeral.
- She reminded her children never to speak ill of the dead, regardless of their feelings about the person when they were alive.
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