cremate

American  

[kree-meyt] / ˈkri meɪt /

verb (used with object)

cremated, cremating

1. to reduce (a dead body) to ashes by fire, especially as a funeral rite.

2. to consume by fire; burn.

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cremate British  

/ krɪˈmeɪt /

verb

1. (tr) to burn up (something, esp a corpse) and reduce to ash

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Other Word Forms

• cremation
  noun
• cremationism
  noun
• cremationist
  noun
• uncremated
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of cremate

First recorded in 1870–75; from Latin cremātus, past participle of cremāre “to burn to ashes”; see -ate ¹

Explanation

When you cremate something, you burn it until only ashes are left. The word cremate is most often used to describe the ceremonial burning of dead bodies. If you burn a grilled cheese sandwich and there is nothing but black ashes left in the pan, you can say you cremated it. Usually, however, people use the verb cremate when they're talking about a practical or ceremonial burning of a body. Many people are cremated after dying, with their ashy remains either buried or scattered in a beautiful place. The Latin root word is cremare, "to burn or consume by fire."

Example Sentences

Cremate my body and scatter the ashes to the four winds of heaven.

From Time Magazine Archive

Cremate the cadaver together with the board upon which it is fixed.

From The Elements of Bacteriological Technique A Laboratory Guide for Medical, Dental, and Technical Students. Second Edition Rewritten and Enlarged. by Eyre, J. W. H. (John William Henry)

Cremate is now used specifically for consuming a dead body by intense heat.

From English Synonyms and Antonyms With Notes on the Correct Use of Prepositions by Fernald, James Champlin

Related Words

• char
• incinerate