cremate

verb

cremated; cremating

transitive verb

: to subject to cremation
especially : to reduce (a dead body) to mostly tiny bits of bones resembling ash through exposure to flame and intense heat followed by pulverization of bone fragments
cremate a dead body

Examples of cremate in a Sentence

He wants to be cremated when he dies.
Recent Examples on the Web Prosecutors contend Silva was lured to Fresno, shot in the back of the head by Wendt and illegally cremated at a nearby funeral home. Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 14 June 2024 Her remains were cremated and given to her daughter, and she was buried without public notice at Lakeside Memorial Park in Miami, next to her parents and sister. Susan Page, USA TODAY, 11 Apr. 2024 In Tibetan Buddhist tradition, to which the Sherpas adhere, the dead should be cremated at home. Bhadra Sharma, New York Times, 11 June 2024 He was slated to be cremated, according to his death certificate. Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 19 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for cremate 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cremate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin crematus, past participle of cremare to burn up, cremate

First Known Use

1874, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cremate was in 1874

Dictionary Entries Near cremate

Cite this Entry

“Cremate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cremate. Accessed 4 Jul. 2024.

Kids Definition

cremate

verb
cremated; cremating
: to burn (as a dead body) to ashes
cremation noun

Medical Definition

cremate

transitive verb
cre·​mate ˈkrē-ˌmāt How to pronounce cremate (audio) kri-ˈ How to pronounce cremate (audio)
cremated; cremating
: to subject to cremation
especially : to reduce (a dead body) to mostly tiny bits of bones resembling ash through exposure to flame and intense heat followed by pulverization of bone fragments

More from Merriam-Webster on cremate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!