crematory

noun

cre·​ma·​to·​ry ˈkrē-mə-ˌtȯr-ē 

ˈkre-

plural crematories

: a furnace for cremating

also : a place where the bodies of the dead are cremated : crematorium

… to help families with the most complicated logistics: filing the death certificate, getting the body released from a hospital, transporting it to the crematory or cemetery.

—April Dembosky

crematory adjective

Examples of crematory in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The owners are accused of overcharging in categories such as crematory fees, refrigeration fees, sales tax and several others. —Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 3 Sep. 2025

Its crematory license remained valid until November 2024, though staff reported that no cremations have been performed there for roughly 10 years, officials said. —Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 22 Aug. 2025

The lawsuit by Ayelli’s parents included a screenshot of an email from a Holy Sepulchre crematory manager, which asked Ayelli’s parents to sign off on paperwork allowing the funeral home to cremate the body themselves. —Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 22 Aug. 2025

Recognizing that people suffer a loss when a pet dies, Patch said in 2016, the company purchased the house immediately north of the Sheridan Road location and named it Life After Fetch — a crematory for pets. —Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 17 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1876, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for crematory

• allegory
• amatory
• auditory
• category
• clerestory
• desultory
• dilatory
• dormitory
• excretory
• extempore
• feudatory
• gustatory

Kids Definition

crematory

1 of 2 noun

cre·​ma·​to·​ry

ˈkrē-mə-ˌtōr-ē,

ˈkrem-ə-,

-ˌtȯr-

plural crematories

: a furnace for cremating or a building containing such a furnace

crematory

2 of 2 adjective

: of, relating to, or used in cremation

Medical Definition

crematory

noun

cre·​ma·​to·​ry ˈkrē-mə-ˌtōr-ē, ˈkrem-ə-, -ˌtȯr- 

plural crematories

: a furnace for cremating

also : an establishment containing such a furnace

crematory adjective