cremate

verb

cre·​mate ˈkrē-ˌmāt  kri-ˈmāt 

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

McNaughton attempted to track down the origin of the ashes, but the only available information indicated that the pet had been cremated at Abbey Glen, a crematorium with locations in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. —Dan Perry, Newsweek, 13 Feb. 2025

She was cremated, and her ashes were eventually scattered into the Aegean Sea, which was, according to the museum, her last wish. —Katie Mannion, People.com, 13 Dec. 2024

According to the county certificate, Lynch was cremated and his remains were buried Jan. 22 at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. —Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 8 Feb. 2025

Rivero understood his son’s trepidation, having experienced the trauma of cremating his own father nearly 20 years earlier. —Collin Blinder, The Mercury News, 28 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1874, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

cremate

verb

cre·​mate ˈkrē-ˌmāt  kri-ˈmāt 

cremated; cremating

: to burn (as a dead body) to ashes

cremation

kri-ˈmā-shən 

noun

Medical Definition

cremate

transitive verb

cre·​mate ˈkrē-ˌmāt  kri-ˈ 

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