urn

American  

[urn] / ɜrn /

noun

• urns
  plural

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.

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

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

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urn British  

/ 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

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

4. botany the spore-producing capsule of a moss

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• urnlike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• urns
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of urn

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

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Explanation

An urn is a large, hollow vase that's usually made of metal or clay. Some urns are used for making coffee or tea, others are made to put someone’s ashes in. Go figure. Urn is probably from the Latin word urna for "a jar or vessel," but some say it’s from another Latin word urere which means, "to burn.” While some urns are used for making hot drinks, the most common use of an urn is holding the ashes of a dead person. Most urns are decorated. “Ode to a Grecian Urn” by the Romantic poet John Keats (1820), is a poem about the figures on a classical Greek urn.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

urn urns

Pringles to award the biggest fan a can-shaped urn.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 15, 2026

Pringles’ Halloween sweepstake promises one winner a metal urn shaped like the brand’s cylindrical cans.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026

An urn holding her ashes sits by the front door.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026

Distinguished by a red-tiled facade and paper lanterns hanging overhead, the shrine had offering cups arranged in rows on a crimson table and a bronze urn spouting wisps of incense.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 6, 2026

One of the servers scooped a dollop of peanut butter into the bottom-heavy glasses, and another filled them with warm milk from the urn.

From "When I Was Puerto Rican" by Esmeralda Santiago

Near a white tent, about a hundred empty urns awaited ashes of the dead after cremation.

From Barron's ● Jun. 29, 2026

He has added gold trim to the crown molding, smothered the walls with gold-framed artworks and gold-painted embellishments, placed inch-thick gold coasters on the desk, and lined up gold urns on the mantel.

From Slate ● Jun. 11, 2026

The next day is deep-clean Monday, when First Watch dishwashers scrub coffee urns and the greasy grates where bacon sizzles.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 12, 2026

"The urns were deposited at the same time as they were packed tightly within the pit and adhered to the same 15th to 13th Century BC date range."

From BBC ● Dec. 18, 2025

Twin urns are toppled on the front steps.

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr

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Related Words

• container
• jar
• pot
• vase

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