Pyre
/ˈpaɪə(r)/noun
A heap of combustible material used for burning a body, sacrifice, or other object.
Did you know?Pyre comes from Greek *pyr* meaning “fire,” the same ancient root behind words like *pyrotechnics* and *pyromania*, so the word itself is basically a linguistic ember from the oldest fire-language in Europe.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*peh₂wr̥
“fire”
Ancient Greek
Greek
πῦρ (pyr)
“fire”
Late Latin
Latin
pīra
“funeral pyre; burning pile”
Old French
Old French
pire
“funeral pyre”
Middle English
English
pyre
“funeral burning pile”
Modern English
English
pyre
“a structure for burning a corpse or sacrificial offering”