cremate

verb

cremated; cremating

transitive verb

: to subject to cremation
especially : to reduce (a dead body) to mostly tiny bits of bones resembling ash through exposure to flame and intense heat followed by pulverization of bone fragments
cremate a dead body

Examples of cremate in a Sentence

He wants to be cremated when he dies.
Recent Examples on the Web There, the bodies were assessed based on their usefulness to medical science: Those that tested positive for infectious diseases or had begun to decompose were cremated. Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC News, 2 Oct. 2024 Amos’ body was cremated nine days later on August 30. Greg Evans, Deadline, 2 Oct. 2024 Even though the fact that many of them were cremated or their bodies donated to science makes the investigation more difficult, Powell said no one will be overlooked. Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 June 2024 His remains will be taken to a morgue in Lima, cremated and returned to his family in the United States. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for cremate 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cremate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin crematus, past participle of cremare to burn up, cremate

First Known Use

1874, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cremate was in 1874

Dictionary Entries Near cremate

Cite this Entry

“Cremate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cremate. Accessed 12 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

cremate

verb
cremated; cremating
: to burn (as a dead body) to ashes
cremation noun

Medical Definition

cremate

transitive verb
cre·​mate ˈkrē-ˌmāt How to pronounce cremate (audio) kri-ˈ How to pronounce cremate (audio)
cremated; cremating
: to subject to cremation
especially : to reduce (a dead body) to mostly tiny bits of bones resembling ash through exposure to flame and intense heat followed by pulverization of bone fragments

More from Merriam-Webster on cremate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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