ember

noun

em·​ber ˈem-bər How to pronounce ember (audio)
1
: a glowing fragment (as of coal) from a fire
especially : one smoldering in ashes
2
embers plural : the smoldering remains of a fire
3
embers plural : slowly dying or fading emotions, memories, ideas, or responses still capable of being revived
the embers of his past

Examples of ember in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The area near the incident remained closed off as firefighters, Yolo County sheriff’s deputies and state explosives investigators worked to mop up the remaining embers and begin in earnest to comb the wreckage for victims and clues. Molly Gibbs, Sacbee.com, 2 July 2025 After having gone through periods during which hydrogen and helium were fused, these tend to end up as carbon and oxygen-rich embers: hot due to their history, but incapable of reaching the densities needed to fuse these elements. ArsTechnica, 2 July 2025 Butler’s science fiction bored deeper into the cruelties and contradictions of America, and were always clear-eyed about our evils, our violent habits, and the small embers of hope in our ingenuity and resilience. Literary Hub july 1, Literary Hub, 1 July 2025 To get a discount on her insurance, Stage needed her home to be certified with an inspection from the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety, a research group funded by the insurance industry that studies what makes homes burn, even subjecting building materials to showers of embers. Lauren Sommer, NPR, 11 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for ember

Word History

Etymology

Middle English eymere, from Old Norse eimyrja; akin to Old English ǣmerge ashes, Latin urere to burn

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ember was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ember.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ember. Accessed 13 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

ember

noun
em·​ber ˈem-bər How to pronounce ember (audio)
: a glowing piece of coal or wood from a fire
especially : such a piece smoldering in ashes

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