urn

noun

ˈərn 

1

: a vessel that is typically an ornamental vase on a pedestal and that is used for various purposes (such as preserving the ashes of the dead after cremation)

2

: a closed vessel usually with a spigot for serving a hot beverage

a coffee urn

Examples of urn in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The time capsules in the urns won’t be opened until 2044. —Eric Duvall, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Mar. 2025

But downtown got chicer, and in the 2000s a developer sniffed an opportunity to condo-ify a pre-war with lovely bones (gothic details inside and scrolls and urns outside). —Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 6 Mar. 2025

Honorary urn bearers were Jessica Porter and Shayne Trosdahl. —Contributed Content, Twin Cities, 6 Feb. 2025

The couple previously admitted in a related federal case to accepting payment for the services but then never performing them -- in some cases providing dry concrete mix in urns in place of cremains, according to court documents. —Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 22 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English urne, from Latin urna

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for urn

• berne
• burn
• churn
• dern
• earn
• erne
• fern
• hern
• hirn
• learn
• morne
• quern

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Kids Definition

urn

noun

ˈərn 

1

: a container that has the form of a vase on a base and often is used for keeping the ashes of the dead

2

: a closed vessel usually with a faucet for serving a hot beverage

coffee urn