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ember

 - 3 dictionary results

em⋅ber

[em-ber]
–noun
1. a small live piece of coal, wood, etc., as in a dying fire.
2. embers, the smoldering remains of a fire.

Origin:
bef. 1000; ME eemer, emeri, OE ǣmerge, ǣmyrie (c. ON eimyrja, OHG eimuria), equiv. to ǣm- (c. ON eimr steam) + -erge, -yrie, akin to OE ys(e)le ember, L ūrere to burn
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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em·ber   (ěm'bər)   
n.  
  1. A small, glowing piece of coal or wood, as in a dying fire.

  2. embers The smoldering coal or ash of a dying fire.


[Middle English embre, from Old English ǣmerge.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

ember 
O.E. æmerge "ember," merged with or infl. by O.N. eimyrja, both from P.Gmc. *aim-uzjon "ashes" (cf. Ger. Ammern), from *aima- "ashes" + *uzjo "to burn," from PIE base *ai- "to burn." The -b- is intrusive.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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