urn

[ urn ]
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noun
  1. a large or decorative vase, especially one with an ornamental foot or pedestal.

  2. a vase for holding the ashes of the cremated dead.

  1. a large metal container with a spigot, used for making or serving tea or coffee in quantity.

  2. Botany. the spore-bearing part of the capsule of a moss, between lid and seta.

Origin of urn

1
1325–75; Middle English urne<Latin urna earthen vessel for ashes, water, etc., akin to urceus pitcher, Greek hýrchē jar

Other words from urn

  • urnlike, adjective

Words that may be confused with urn

Words Nearby urn

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How to use urn in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for urn

urn

/ (ɜːn) /


noun
  1. a vaselike receptacle or vessel, esp a large bulbous one with a foot

  2. a vase used as a receptacle for the ashes of the dead

  1. a large vessel, usually of metal, with a tap, used for making and holding tea, coffee, etc

  2. botany the spore-producing capsule of a moss

Origin of urn

1
C14: from Latin ūrna; related to Latin ūrere to burn, urceus pitcher, Greek hurkhē jar

Derived forms of urn

  • urnlike, adjective

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