ember

American  

[em-ber] / ˈɛm bər /

noun

• embers
  plural

1. a small live piece of coal, wood, etc., as in a dying fire.

2. embers, the smoldering remains of a fire.

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ember British  

/ ˈɛmbə /

noun

1. a glowing or smouldering piece of coal or wood, as in a dying fire

2. the fading remains of a past emotion

   the embers of his love

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• embers
  plural

Etymology

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

Explanation

An ember is a little piece of wood or coal in a fire that's dying. Embers are hot and glowing. When the fire is out and the embers are glowing, it’s time to call it a night. Embers (usually plural) are smoldering pieces of wood or coal — usually very small — that burn brightly as a fire starts to fade. When you see embers, the fire isn’t finished yet, but it’s almost done. If you’re camping and you put out a fire, don’t leave it alone until the embers go out, too. People also use embers as a metaphor for other things that are starting to fade, like the last embers of a dying friendship.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ember embers

“FireGuard does not pick up spot fires caused by ember cast or downed power lines, so it is important this tool is used in conjunction with other tools to increase situational awareness,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 11, 2025

India Today magazine called the film a "dead ember".

From BBC ● Jun. 25, 2025

Some residents in Rainham believe an ember from the fires on Arnolds Field might have started that blaze.

From BBC ● Mar. 14, 2025

‘We could have used a hundred fire engines by then. You already had ember casts reaching blocks ahead of the fire.’

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 17, 2025

‘You are an ember in the ashes, Elias Veturius. You will spark and burn, ravage and destroy. You cannot change it. You cannot stop it.”

From "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir

Ultimately the behaviour of a fire depended on a combination of factors, including wind, heat, embers, available fuel and the layout of individual homes, he added.

From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026

It is an ideal fuel for buried embers, which can lie dormant until favourable conditions, such as wind and dry weather, allow them to reignite in broad daylight.

From Barron's ● Aug. 19, 2026

As the night grows black and the last embers start to dull, “Her Private Hell” sends you off to bed wondering if it could all be true.

From Salon ● Aug. 17, 2026

Firefighters quickly put out the Lachman fire, but investigators testified at trial in June that embers continued to smolder underground, reigniting on Jan. 7.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

We hitched her to the wagon, poured water on the embers, and set off for home on the crown of the road.

From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck

Related Words

• ash
• cinder