urn
UK: ɜːn | US: ɜːrn
n. a tall, rounded vase with a narrow opening, often used to hold ashes or as an ornamental piece
n. a large metal container with a tap, used for serving tea or coffee
The word "urn" traces back to the Latin urna, meaning "a vessel for water, ashes, or ballots." It entered Middle English via Old French urne, retaining its core meaning of a container, particularly one associated with solemn or decorative purposes. The Latin root likely derives from the Proto-Indo-European wer- ("to burn" or "to turn"), linking to its funerary use for holding ashes.
The ancient urn contained the ashes of a Roman nobleman.
She placed the floral arrangement in a ceramic urn by the window.
The tea urn at the event kept the beverage hot for hours.
Archaeologists discovered a beautifully painted urn in the tomb.
He won the lottery and received his prize from a golden urn.