Etymology
Advertisement

cremation (n.)

"act or custom of burning of the dead," 1620s, from Latin cremationem (nominative crematio), noun of action from past-participle stem of cremare "to burn, consume by fire" (also used of the dead), from PIE *krem-, extended form of root *ker- (3) "heat, fire."

The adoption of cremation would relieve us of a muck of threadbare burial-witticisms; but, on the other hand, it would resurrect a lot of mildewed old cremation-jokes that have had a rest for two thousand years. ["Mark Twain," "Life on the Mississippi," 1883]

Entries linking to cremation

*ker- (3)

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "heat, fire."

It forms all or part of: carbon; carboniferous; carbuncle; cremate; cremation; hearth.

It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit kudayati "singes;" Latin carbo "a coal, glowing coal; charcoal," cremare "to burn;" Lithuanian kuriu, kurti "to heat," karštas "hot," krosnis "oven;" Old Church Slavonic kurjo "to smoke," krada "fireplace, hearth;" Russian ceren "brazier;" Old High German harsta "roasting;" Gothic hauri "coal;" Old Norse hyrr "fire;" Old English heorð "hearth."

cerveza (n.)

Spanish for "beer," from Latin cervisia "beer" (related to Latin cerea "a Spanish beer"), which is perhaps related to Latin cremor "thick broth," or from Celtic *kerb- (compare Gaulish curmi, Old Irish cuirm, Middle Irish coirm, Welsh cwrwf, Old Cornish coref "beer"), from Proto-Celtic *kormi-, probably from the same source as Latin cremare "to burn" (see cremation). "Connection with ceres (as a drink from grain) is very dubious" [Tucker].

updated on May 09, 2018

Advertisement
Advertisement

Dictionary entries near cremation

creepage

creeper

creeping

creepy

cremate

cremation

crematorium

crematory

creme

creme de la creme

Cremona

© 2001-2023 Douglas Harper