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 film cuts to a crematorium, where a child observes a shelf full of urns for people whose remains were never picked up by their relatives. — Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 11 July 2026

There are trestle tables laden with myrtle cake, beakers and giant coffee urns. — Andy McGrath, New York Times, 11 July 2026

The park also features large reflecting pools, rustic furnishings, fountains, urns, statuary, artificial ponds for fish and foul, a deer park, orchards, fields and more. — Kaitlyn Keegan, Hartford Courant, 10 July 2026

As the employee leaves her daughter with the urns, the young girl reads the names of the deceased in two urns — one of which is Ellie Bixler. — Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 10 July 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

Video

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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