I. ˈərn, ˈə̄n, ˈəin noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English urne, from Latin urna, probably of non-Indo-European origin; akin to the source of Latin urceus pitcher, ewer, Greek hyrchē jar
1.
a. : a vessel (as a vase) of various forms usually furnished with a foot or pedestal and employed for holding liquids, for ornamental uses, for preserving the ashes of the dead after cremation, for holding lots to be drawn, for receiving ballots, or for other purposes
b. : a closed vessel usually with a heating device and a spigot used in making and serving a hot beverage
coffee urn
tea urn
2. : a sculptured ornament or decoration in the shape of a footed and usually covered urn
3. archaic : a spring, fountain, or watercourse that is the source of a flow of liquid
4. : the theca of a moss
II. transitive verb
archaic : inurn