What is the term used to refer to the crushed bone mixture that results from a cremation?

• A. Bone fragments
• B. Cremains
• C. Ashes
• D. Dust

Answer: (B)

The term cremains refers to the material that remains after cremation and has been processed into a fine powder. The process turns the body into bone fragments, which are then pulverized and blended into a uniform, powdery residue. This final product is what families receive and what is interred or scattered, and it’s the standard term used in death care practice. While people often say “ashes,” that word is informal and can be misleading because cremains include mineral material from bone, not just ash from soft tissue. Calling it “bone fragments” would describe the unsmelthed residue before processing, not the finished product, and “dust” is too vague for professional terminology.