The embers of a fire are small pieces of wood or coal that remain and glow with heat after the fire has finished burning.
Synonyms: cinders, ashes, residue, live coals More Synonyms of ember
ember in British English
(ˈɛmbə)
noun
1.
a glowing or smouldering piece of coal or wood, as in a dying fire
2.
the fading remains of a past emotion
the embers of his love
Word origin
Old English ǣmyrge; related to Old Norse eimyrja ember, eimr smoke, Old High German eimuria ember
ember in American English1
(ˈɛmbər)
noun
1.
a glowing piece of coal, wood, etc. from a fire; esp., such a piece smoldering amongashes
2. [pl.]
the smoldering remains of a fire
Word origin
ME eymere & (with intrusive -b) eymbre < OE æmerge (& ON eimyrja) < æm- (akin to ON eimr, steam) + -yrge (akin to ON ysja, fire) < IE base *eus-, to burn > L urere, to burn
ember in American English2
(ˈɛmbər)
adjective
[oftenE-]
designating or of three days (Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday) set aside for prayer and fasting in a specified week of each of the four seasons of the year in various Christian churches
Word origin
ME (SE dial.) embyr-, as in embyr-dayes < OE ymbren, lit., a coming around < ymbryne, circuit, revolution < ymb, round (akin to ambi-) + ryne, a running (< base of run)
Examples of 'ember' in a sentence
ember
Now, he had to breathe fire into the embers one last time.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
When he came back he fanned the embers of his fire again and warmed himself.
The Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales (1812)
Hair from them was found in the embers of a fire the gang lit under a tree.
The Sun (2008)
The opening episode sees all three men trying to either find love or keep its dying embers burning.
The Sun (2014)
There's life still in the embers of the fire.
Aldiss, Brian Somewhere East of Life (1994)
Remember, the secret to cooking on a fire is a nice glowing bed of embers.
The Sun (2014)
Of an encouraging local atmosphere, there was none until the embers were being stoked.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Suddenly you smell a fire, and soon you see that there are smouldering embers all around you.
The Sun (2016)
Simple, lilting melodies that cut the conversation dead and had the hardest of men staring deep into the glowing embers.
Iain Gale Man of Honour (2007)
If it burnt more quickly, the glowing embers might reach her skin and wake her in time to save herself.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Yet the embers were smouldering.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
His eyes flew open and he stared for a long time into the glowing embers of the fire, reluctant to close them again.
Kathleen E. Woodiwiss THE WOLF AND THE DOVE
The skin, thick with a layer of muscle, is thrown on the embers of a fire.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
By that time I'd crossed a lot of railway tracks and the fervour of pursuit had been reduced to smouldering embers.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
(noun)
Definition
a smouldering piece of coal or wood remaining after a fire has died
We were sitting around the dying embers of the bonfire.