Pyre
(noun)
A pile of wood or other materials, especially one used for burning a dead body as a funeral rite.
Origin:
Late 16th century: from latin pyra, from greek pura, denoting a pile of wood used for burning.
Examples:
- The Hindu tradition calls for the deceased to be cremated on a pyre.
- The pyre was lit and the body was committed to the flames.
- The ancient Greeks believed that the smoke from the pyre carried the soul to the afterlife.
- She was horrified by the sight of the burning pyre and the smell of the smoke.
- The pyre was a symbol of rebirth and renewal, as the ashes of the dead fertilized the soil.