Meaning & use
terramation
Last updated
Meaning
noununcountabletechnical
A funeral method that turns a human body into soil using natural decomposition over several weeks.
Grammar: Uncountable: you say 'terramation' or 'a terramation', but not 'terramations' in general use.
Patterns
- choose terramation
- terramation of a body
The family chose terramation because it is gentler on the planet than cremation.
Terramation takes place in a special container filled with wood chips and other natural materials.
Some states have recently legalized terramation as an alternative to burial.
Common combinations
- human terramation
- Human terramation is now allowed in a few countries.
- terramation process
- The terramation process takes about 30 to 60 days.
- choose terramation
- More people are choosing terramation for environmental reasons.
Synonyms and how they differ
- human composting
- The more common everyday term for the same process; use it in general writing.
- natural organic reduction
- The formal legal and technical term used in regulations.
Word family
- terramate verb
- To convert a body into soil by this method.
Commonly confused: terramation or cremation?
terramation vs cremation
Cremation uses high heat to reduce a body to ashes; terramation uses natural decomposition to make soil.
Practice
What is terramation?
Choose one answer.
Terramation is an eco-friendly funeral method that converts a body into soil. The other options describe unrelated ideas.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “terramation”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.