incineration

/ɪnˈsɪnəˌreɪʃən/

Other forms: incinerations

When something is deliberately lit on fire and burned, that's incineration. Incineration is a common way to process large amounts of trash.

Incineration is the act of burning something until nothing but ash is left behind. The incineration of your school papers might seem like a satisfying way to start the summer — just make sure you don't need those math notes for next year! In waste management, incineration can be an effective way to deal with some types of garbage, and it can even be used to produce electricity. The Latin root is incinerare, "reduce to ashes."

Definitions of incineration

1. noun

   the act of burning something completely; reducing it to ashes
   types:

   cremation

   the incineration of a dead body

   type of:

   burning, combustion

   the act of burning something