: a combustible heap for burning a dead body as a funeral rite
broadly
: a pile of material to be burned
a pyre of dead leaves
Examples of pyre in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Archaeologists documented 41 finds at the site, including 13 urn graves, several cremation nests and several cremation burials with the remains of the funeral pyres, according to the release.
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Lauren Liebhaber, Miami Herald, 27 May 2025
Then, a volunteer lit the pyre, and flecks of ashes swirled in the air.
—Sui-Lee Wee, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
They may have been included in a funerary pyre, though researchers didn’t find any human remains.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Mar. 2025
Many of the items had been burned, suggesting that they might have been torched upon a funeral pyre, but no human remains were found amid the assemblage.
—News Desk, Artforum, 26 Mar. 2025
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Lauren Liebhaber, Miami Herald, 27 May 2025
Then, a volunteer lit the pyre, and flecks of ashes swirled in the air.
—Sui-Lee Wee, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
They may have been included in a funerary pyre, though researchers didn’t find any human remains.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Mar. 2025
Many of the items had been burned, suggesting that they might have been torched upon a funeral pyre, but no human remains were found amid the assemblage.
—News Desk, Artforum, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pyre
Cite this Entry
“Pyre.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pyre. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pyre
noun
: a heap of wood for burning a dead body
also
: a pile of material to be burned
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