Words / B2

EMB-uh/ˈembə/

An ember is a small piece of wood or coal that is still glowing in a fire: glowing embers; an ember. Spark is smaller and flies; ash is the cold remains; cinder is a close twin. An ember in the fire-investigation note still needs the named fuel. Mix-up: ember vs member; ember vs amber (the stone/colour); do not write ember for a flame still burning high.

Meaning

A small piece of wood or coal that is still glowing in a fire.

Examples

• “An ember in the fire-investigation note still needs the named fuel, not a poem caption.”
• “Embers featured in the camp method, which is still a named fire stage — quote the watch time if given.”

Good to know

glowing embers; an ember of. Close: cinder. Contrast: spark / ash / flame. Trap: member / amber. Geography, H&S, and literature. A glowing scrap of fuel — name the fuel, not a mood.

Near in meaning

cinder, glowing coal, live coal

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