1. the powdery residue left after the burning of a substance: "cigarette ash"
▪ the remains of something destroyed; ruins: "the people are really living in the ashes of those traditions and institutions"
▪ the remains of the human body after cremation or burning: "his ashes were scattered on a Welsh mountainside"
▪ powdery material thrown out by a volcano: "the plains have been showered by volcanic ash"
▪ the mineral component of an organic substance, as assessed from the residue left after burning:"coal contains higher levels of ash than premium fuels"
Word OriginOld Englishæsce, aexe, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch as and German Asche.
