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cremate

verb
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cre·​mate | \ ˈkrē-ˌmāt How to pronounce cremate (audio) , kri-ˈmāt How to pronounce cremate (audio) \
cremated; cremating

Definition of cremate

transitive verb

: to reduce to ashes by burning cremate a dead body
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Other Words from cremate

cremation \ kri-​ˈmā-​shən How to pronounce cremation (audio) \ noun

Examples of cremate in a Sentence

He wants to be cremated when he dies.
Recent Examples on the Web Other customers pay to have their dogs or cats cremated separately, and the ashes are returned to them. — Anne Ryman, azcentral, "Arizona animal crematory may have broken state rules by not cremating pets within 30 days," 24 July 2019 In North Carolina unclaimed bodies are cremated, then stored for three years before being scattered at sea. — The Economist, "What happens to those who die poor or unclaimed in NYC," 15 June 2019 He will be cremated and put out to sea, which was his love. — sun-sentinel.com, "Deaths in South Florida: 8/18," 18 Aug. 2019 Some 30,000 people a year are cremated at the ghats. — Paul Salopek, National Geographic, "One of India's holiest cities is being reborn. Not everyone is happy," 21 Mar. 2019 An inspector also discovered cremated remains, including bone fragments, in a vacuum cleaner. — oregonlive, "State inspections of funeral homes fall short in Oregon," 15 Sep. 2019 The company, Dignified Pet Services, also promised to cremate Dixie privately and return her ashes to the Smiths, along with a clay impression of her pawprint to remember her by. — oregonlive.com, "Couple sues pet cremation company over handling of their dog’s remains," 14 Aug. 2019 Midwestern does return cremated remains to families after students have finished using the body for study. — Stephanie Innes, AZCentral.com, "Arizona is a hotbed for the cadaver industry, and potential donors have plenty of options," 10 June 2019 Bodies are required to be refrigerated under state law if they aren't embalmed or cremated within 24 hours. — Anne Ryman, azcentral, "Phoenix funeral home may face discipline after keeping bodies more than 100 days and charging 'excessive' burial fees," 21 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cremate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of cremate

1874, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for cremate

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

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Statistics for cremate

Last Updated

26 Oct 2019

Time Traveler for cremate

The first known use of cremate was in 1874

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More Definitions for cremate

cremate

verb
How to pronounce cremate (audio) How to pronounce cremate (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of cremate

: to burn (the body of a person who has died)

See the full definition for cremate in the English Language Learners Dictionary

cremate

verb
cre·​mate | \ ˈkrē-ˌmāt How to pronounce cremate (audio) \
cremated; cremating

Kids Definition of cremate

: to burn (as a dead body) to ashes

Other Words from cremate

cremation \ kri-​ˈmā-​shən \ noun

cremate

transitive verb
cre·​mate | \ ˈkrē-ˌmāt How to pronounce cremate (audio) , kri-ˈ How to pronounce cremate (audio) \
cremated; cremating

Medical Definition of cremate

: to reduce (as a dead body) to ashes by burning

Other Words from cremate

cremation \ kri-​ˈmā-​shən How to pronounce cremation (audio) \ noun

More from Merriam-Webster on cremate

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with cremate

Spanish Central: Translation of cremate

Nglish: Translation of cremate for Spanish Speakers

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