ember

[em-ber]

See more synonyms for ember on Thesaurus.com

noun

a small live piece of coal, wood, etc., as in a dying fire.
embers, the smoldering remains of a fire.

Origin of ember

before 1000; Middle English eemer, emeri, Old English ǣmerge, ǣmyrie (cognate with Old Norse eimyrja, Old High German eimuria), equivalent to ǣm- (cognate with Old Norse eimr steam) + -erge, -yrie, akin to Old English ys(e)le ember, Latin ūrere to burn

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for ember

cinder, ash, coal, brand, slag

Examples from the Web for ember

Contemporary Examples of ember

Fire was actually carried in hollowed out branches in which an ember was placed.
The Truth About Genesis
Bruce Feiler
September 18, 2009

Historical Examples of ember

He glows, but dimly, like an ember, with a red and smouldering heat.
The Masque of the Elements
Herman Scheffauer
"In the corner where you put us," Coal and Ember growled with one voice.
The Cat in Grandfather's House
Carl Henry Grabo
Prince Ember sprang to his feet, his eyes kindling with eagerness.
The Shadow Witch
Gertrude Crownfield
“I will not forget your warning,” Prince Ember promised him.
The Shadow Witch
Gertrude Crownfield
At this spot he purposed to set a cunning snare for Prince Ember.
The Shadow Witch
Gertrude Crownfield

British Dictionary definitions for ember

ember

noun

a glowing or smouldering piece of coal or wood, as in a dying fire
the fading remains of a past emotionthe embers of his love

Word Origin for ember

Old English ǣmyrge; related to Old Norse eimyrja ember, eimr smoke, Old High German eimuria ember

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for ember

Old English æmerge "ember," merged with or influenced by Old Norse eimyrja, both from Proto-Germanic *aim-uzjon- "ashes" (cf. Middle Low German emere, Old High German eimuria, German Ammern); a compound from *aima- "ashes" (from PIE root *ai- "to burn;" see edifice) + *uzjo- "to burn" (from PIE root *eus- "to burn;" cf. Latin urere "to burn, singe"). The -b- is intrusive.