urn

noun

ˈərn 

1

: a vessel that is typically an ornamental vase on a pedestal and that is used for various purposes (such as preserving the ashes of the dead after cremation)

2

: a closed vessel usually with a spigot for serving a hot beverage

a coffee urn

Examples of urn in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Their ceremony was spare, with only a few urns filled with dusty pink and peach roses, while dinner featured loads of thin white candles set in bronzed candelabra at staggered heights. — Kaitlin Menza, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Sep. 2026

Investigators also found various chemicals, a 55-gallon drum, false identifications and urns in the home, police shared in a press conference. — Kaitlyn McCormick, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026

Its oversized stone urns and four Doric columns, along with a Greek key frieze, give the symmetrical residence historic gravitas. — Mark David, Robb Report, 25 Aug. 2026

Incorporating a shelf above the wall cabinets as an integrated part of the top molding offers a practical solution for displaying larger objects or urns, notes interior designer Caren Rideau. — Wendy Rose Gould, Martha Stewart, 11 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English urne, from Latin urna

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for urn

• berne
• burn
• churn
• dern
• earn
• erne
• fern
• hern
• hirn
• learn
• quern
• spurn

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Kids Definition

urn

noun

ˈərn 

1

: a container that has the form of a vase on a base and often is used for keeping the ashes of the dead

2

: a closed vessel usually with a faucet for serving a hot beverage

coffee urn