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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The infant was scheduled to be cremated, according to the release, but the body was accidentally taken to Shreveport with a load of dirty linens. Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 May 2025 In a 2018 interview with LiveScience, microbiologist Rolf Halden, director of the Center for Environmental Health Engineering at Arizona State University's Biodesign Institute, said that properly cremated human ashes are not toxic and do not carry diseases. Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2025 However, because the Romans cremated their dead for many years, archaeologists have not found many gladiator bodies. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Apr. 2025 Revisiting a puzzling find Burials didn’t take place within settlements during the Roman period, leading the dead to be cremated or buried alongside major roads, the authors said in the study. Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cremate

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cremate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cremate. Accessed 13 Jun. 2025.

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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!