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

In bodycam footage from outside the actor’s home, Elizabeth requested that an officer cremate the couple’s deceased dog, Zinna, and bury the remains with Arakawa. —Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 27 Mar. 2025

Pits within the site were used for at least four burials, with one adult who was cremated and three children who were not cremated. —Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 7 Mar. 2025

He was cremated on April 17 at Palm Mortuary in Las Vegas, per the Associated Press. —Emily Blackwood, People.com, 31 Jan. 2025

Many human remains have been found at and around Stonehenge, most of them cremated and dating to the Neolithic era. —Hannah Edgar, ARTnews.com, 26 Feb. 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