Definition of 'urn'
Word forms: urns
2. countable noun
COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word Frequency
urn in American English
noun
1.
a.
a vase, esp. one with a foot or pedestal
b.
such a vase used to hold the ashes of a cremated body
2.
a large metal container with a faucet, used for making and serving hot coffee, tea, etc.
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Word origin
ME < L urna, urn; akin to urceus, jug
Word Frequency
urn in American English
(ɜːrn)
noun
1.
a large or decorative vase, esp. one with an ornamental foot or pedestal
2.
a vase for holding the ashes of the cremated dead
3.
a large metal container with a spigot, used for making or serving tea or coffee in quantity
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Derived forms
urnlike adjective
Word origin
[1325–75; ME urne ‹ L urna earthen vessel for ashes, water, etc., akin to urceus pitcher, Gk hýrchē jar]Word Frequency
urn in British English
noun
1.
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Derived forms
urnlike (ˈurnˌlike) adjective
Word origin
C14: from Latin ūrna; related to Latin ūrere to burn, urceus pitcher, Greek hurkhē jar
Examples of 'urn' in a sentence
urn
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Trends of
urn
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In other languages
urn
British English: urn
NOUN / ɜːn /
ashes An urn is a container in which a dead person's ashes are kept.
...a funeral urn.
British English: urn
NOUN /ɜːn /
tea, coffee An urn is a metal container used for making a large quantity of tea or coffee and keeping it hot.
...the ten gallon coffee urn.
- American English: urn /ˈɜrn/
- Brazilian Portuguese: urna
- Chinese: 壶
- European Spanish: tetera {or} cafetera grande
- French: grosse bouilloire N
- German: Kessel
- Italian: contenitore termico per bevande calde
- Japanese: 大人数にコーヒーや紅茶を入れるために使う大きな金属製のポット
- Korean: 차나 커피를 끓이는데 사용하는 커다란 주전자
- European Portuguese: urna
- Spanish: tetera {or} cafetera grande
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Definition of urn from the Collins English Dictionary
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