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 His lungs and larynx were plucked out, placed in an urn, and kept in Missolonghi. Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2024 The rest will go in an urn, and, Brock said, with her into her grave when her time comes. Jon Schuppe, NBC News, 22 Feb. 2024 So, while a veteran who receives an urn is no longer eligible for additional benefits like burial, the spouse still has several final disposition benefits to choose from, including ground burial. Michael Lee, Fox News, 14 Feb. 2024 After a full day of animal sacrifices, women placed their names in an urn and had their names drawn by the bachelors. Betty Cahill, The Denver Post, 13 Feb. 2024 An urn of Jesse’s ashes sits on the mantel of his family’s San Francisco home. John Branch Jim Wilson, New York Times, 5 Nov. 2023 Then, while searching a U-Haul parked in the front of the home, investigators found six more urns with remains, according to Clark. Daniella Segura, Sacramento Bee, 23 Feb. 2024 Their ashes, feet bones and parts of their skull were then placed in an urn and buried in a sprawling cemetery in Poland. Moira Ritter, Miami Herald, 5 Feb. 2024 An urn containing the ashes of his father’s father, Stan Dillon, who died in 2012. Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'urn.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English urne, from Latin urna

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of urn was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near urn

Cite this Entry

“Urn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/urn. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

urn

noun
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

More from Merriam-Webster on urn

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