Cremains are the ashes left after a body has been cremated. Which term describes this?

• A. Casket remnants
• B. Cremains
• C. Urn contents
• D. Grave soil

Answer: (B)

The term cremains is used to describe the ashes left after cremation. It’s the standard, precise word professionals use in death care settings, official documents, and conversations about what remains after the cremation process. It clearly identifies the material as the result of cremation, rather than something else like the container or the surrounding soil.

Casket remnants would refer to pieces of the coffin itself, which aren’t the remains. Urn contents could describe what’s inside an urn, which may include the cremains but isn’t the term for the ashes themselves. Grave soil is simply soil from a burial site. So, cremains is the most accurate and widely accepted term for the ashes.