cremation

noun

cre·​ma·​tion kri-ˈmā-shən 

plural cremations

1

a

: the process of reducing a dead body to mostly tiny bits of bone resembling ash that involves exposing the body to flame and intense heat followed by pulverization of bone fragments

And while I do not conceive of an afterlife, I do conceive a strange, attenuated, out-of-the-body experience in which I'm somehow tenuously present at my burial or cremation.

—Rosemary Dinnage

… funeral directors say family traditions are changing, leading to an increase in cremation rates.

—Matthew Waite

This week the Vatican issued a directive not to scatter the ashes of loved ones after cremation, and instructed followers to only store them in places approved by the Church.

—Mandy Johnston

b

: alkaline hydrolysis

—usually used following an adjective or an attributive noun

The reason why flameless cremation or cremation using alkaline hydrolysis is better is that it releases 50 kgs of carbon. If you opt for the traditional method of cremation, close to 250 kgs of carbon is released at one time.

—Vishal Sharma

In a water cremation, human remains are placed within a chamber filled with about 70 to 90 gallons of water, into which bases like sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide are added.

—Bennet Goldstein

2

: the remains of the cremation process

In Besik Bay, the sandy cove facing the island of Tenedos in the Aegean, a cemetery was found where a variety of foreign peoples were buried … . Included were cremations from the thirteenth century B.C.

—Caroline Alexander

Examples of cremation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But funeral rituals largely included cremation or burials of multiple individuals together, rather than what was found at Charterhouse Warren. —Ashley Strickland, CNN, 16 Dec. 2024

In this void, the national body trade has flourished, fueled by tens of thousands of Americans who donate their bodies or the bodies of relatives each year, often enticed by the promise of free or discounted cremation after the bodies are used. —Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC News, 11 Dec. 2024

The site also touted natural cremations without the use of chemicals or unnatural materials. —Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 23 Nov. 2024

The water cremation process actually produces a higher volume of remains than fire cremation, because less material is lost to the surrounding air, Brown said. —Christine Condon, Baltimore Sun, 18 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin cremātiōn-, cremātiō "a burning," from cremāre "to destroy by fire, burn as an offering to a god, cremate" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action

First Known Use

1658, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing cremation

• flameless cremation
• water cremation

Medical Definition

cremation

noun

cre·​ma·​tion kri-ˈmā-shən 

1

a

: the process of reducing a dead body to mostly tiny bits of bone resembling ash that involves exposing the body to flame and intense heat followed by pulverization of bone fragments

b

: alkaline hydrolysis

—usually used following an adjective or noun

The reason why flameless cremation or cremation using alkaline hydrolysis is better; is that it releases 50 kgs of carbon. If you opt for the traditional method of cremation, close to 250 kgs of carbon is released at one time.

—Vishal Sharma

In a water cremation, human remains are placed within a chamber filled with about 70 to 90 gallons of water, into which bases like sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide are added.

—Bennet Goldstein

2

: the remains of the cremation process