\Cre"mate\ (kr?"m?t or kr?-m?t"), v. t. [L. crematus, p. p. of cremare to burn; cf. Skr. cr? to cook.] To burn; to reduce to ashes by the action of fire, either directly or in an oven or retort; to incremate or incinerate; as, to cremate a corpse, instead of burying it.