verb
cremate
krih-MAYT
Cremate (verb) means to reduce a dead body to ashes by burning, as an alternative to burial. Example: “She asked to be cremated rather than buried.”
verb
1
To reduce a dead body to ashes by burning, as an alternative to burial.
"I want to be cremated when I die."
"“You didn’t bury Dad. You burned him.” “We cremated him, Benny. For humans, the word is cremated. And we chose to do that because that’s what they do in Japan.”"
— Ruth Ozeki, The Book of Form and Emptiness (2021)
"She asked to be cremated rather than buried."
How to use cremate
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo dispose of a body by burning it.
Common pairings
cremated remains
choose to be cremated
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- cremates
- Past tense
- cremated
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She asked to be _____ rather than buried.
Etymology
From Latin cremare, "to burn up", first used in English in this sense in the late 19th century.
Class of 1800
cremate joined the language around 1800.
See the full Class of 1800 →
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for cremate
See all rhymes for cremate →Frequently asked questions
What does “cremate” mean?
The word “cremate” means to reduce a dead body to ashes by burning, as an alternative to burial. In plain terms, to dispose of a body by burning it.
How do you pronounce “cremate”?
“Cremate” is pronounced krih-MAYT (/ˈkɹimeɪt/ in IPA).
How do you use “cremate” in a sentence?
Here is “cremate” used in a sentence: “She asked to be cremated rather than buried.”
What part of speech is “cremate”?
“Cremate” is a verb.
Where does the word “cremate” come from?
The word “cremate” dates back to around 1800 and comes from Latin. From Latin cremare, "to burn up", first used in English in this sense in the late 19th century.
