What term is used to describe the practice of preparing a body for burial or cremation?

The practice of preparing a body for burial or cremation is specifically referred to as embalming. This process involves several steps, including preserving the body using chemical solutions, typically formaldehyde, and other treatments to ensure that the remains are presented in a suitable condition for viewing during funeral services. Embalming not only helps slow down the decomposition process but also allows families to have a final viewing and provides a way to honor the deceased.

Disinterment refers to the act of removing a body from a burial place, which is unrelated to the preparation process. Coffin-making involves constructing burial containers but does not encompass the overall preparation and preservation of the body. Cremation is the process of reducing the body to ashes through intense heat, distinct from the preparation phase that embalming entails. Therefore, embalming is the correct term that encompasses the broader practice of preparing a body for its final rites.