urn

noun

ˈərn 

1

: a vessel that is typically an ornamental vase on a pedestal and that is used for various purposes (such as preserving the ashes of the dead after cremation)

2

: a closed vessel usually with a spigot for serving a hot beverage

a coffee urn

Examples of urn in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The earliest ones are filled with clippings that picture grand chandeliers or trophies or urns. — Ryan Sullivan, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026

Tuck it into your favorite vase or urn, and use it as a centerpiece all season long. — Sarah Scott, Southern Living, 23 Sep. 2026

One urn is believed to contain Horsch's father's remains, another is believed to be a relative, and another is believed to be a friend, officials said, adding that the remaining two are unidentified. — Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 17 Sep. 2026

The points are represented by plastic eyeballs dropped into decorative glass urns on their player podiums, styled like museum exhibits — a fun bit of whimsy in the production design that unites the ideas of vision and museum art. — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English urne, from Latin urna

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for urn

• berne
• burn
• churn
• dern
• earn
• erne
• fern
• hern
• hirn
• learn
• quern
• spurn

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Kids Definition

urn

noun

ˈərn 

1

: a container that has the form of a vase on a base and often is used for keeping the ashes of the dead

2

: a closed vessel usually with a faucet for serving a hot beverage

coffee urn