eternal flame

American  

[ih-tur-nl fleym] / ɪˈtɜr nl ˈfleɪm /

noun

1. a contained fire ignited ceremonially and kept burning, usually in a public place and as a perpetual memorial or symbol.

   On our trip to the United States we visited the grave of President John F. Kennedy, where there is an eternal flame.

   The Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima features an eternal flame symbolizing the hope for a world free of nuclear weapons.

2. a fire ignited naturally or accidentally, sometimes burning underground, and fueled by deposits of coal or natural gas that keep it from going out.

   At the Burning Mountain in Australia, an eternal flame has been slowly burning underground for 6,000 years.

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Etymology

Origin of eternal flame

First recorded in 1590–1600

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

eternal flame

Whenever she is at Liverpool's home ground, she visits the eternal flame memorial to think about all of those who lost their lives.

From BBC ● Apr. 11, 2024

I like Bobby — he was my favorite ballplayer to cover — and Bobby Bonilla Day is sort of like his eternal flame.

From Washington Times ● Nov. 21, 2023

In a circular room, pilgrims meditate before the eternal flame.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 1, 2023

At a memorial ceremony, Mr. Biden is expected to rekindle the eternal flame and lay a wreath.

From New York Times ● Jul. 13, 2022

Or, perhaps, to tend it carefully like an eternal flame: a reminder of light and goodness that would never—could never—set anything ablaze.

From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng