The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word FUNERARY
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
F
U
N
E
R
A
R
Y
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "a ceremony for the dead" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case a ceremony for the dead = funerary.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does FUNERARY mean?
FUNERARY adjective- Of or relating to a funeral.