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
Rosemary Dinnage… funeral directors say family traditions are changing, leading to an increase in cremation rates.—Matthew Waite
Matthew WaiteThis 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
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
Vishal SharmaIn 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
Bennet Goldstein2
: 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
Caroline AlexanderExamples of cremation in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The body is taken to the funeral home, where it’s embalmed, unless the family chooses a cremation.
—Mike Winters,gene Kim, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2024
While inhumation – the act of placing a body directly into the ground or inside a coffin – was popular in pre-Roman Italy, cremation began gaining popularity between the fourth and fifth centuries B.C.E., though not everywhere.
—Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 25 July 2024
Most of us would prefer cremation over burial The survey was conducted for the National FuneralDirectors Association in May.
—George Petras, USA TODAY, 23 July 2024
The vast majority of the unclaimed bodies — people whose families could not afford funeral arrangements or could not be found — came from Tarrant and Dallas counties, which each saved half a million dollars a year in burial and cremation costs.
—Jon Schuppe, NBC News, 16 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for cremation 
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Mike Winters,gene Kim, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2024
While inhumation – the act of placing a body directly into the ground or inside a coffin – was popular in pre-Roman Italy, cremation began gaining popularity between the fourth and fifth centuries B.C.E., though not everywhere.
—Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 25 July 2024
Most of us would prefer cremation over burial The survey was conducted for the National FuneralDirectors Association in May.
—George Petras, USA TODAY, 23 July 2024
The vast majority of the unclaimed bodies — people whose families could not afford funeral arrangements or could not be found — came from Tarrant and Dallas counties, which each saved half a million dollars a year in burial and cremation costs.
—Jon Schuppe, NBC News, 16 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for cremation
Dictionary Entries Near cremation
Cite this Entry
“Cremation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cremation. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical 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
Vishal SharmaIn 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
Bennet Goldstein2
: the remains of the cremation process
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