coffin

1 of 2

noun

cof·​fin ˈkȯ-fən 

: a box or chest for burying a corpse compare casket

coffin

2 of 2

verb

coffined; coffining; coffins

transitive verb

: to enclose in or as if in a coffin

Synonyms

Noun

• bier
• box
• casket
• pall
• sarcophagus

Examples of coffin in a Sentence

Noun

coffins are said to be the preferred sleeping places of vampires

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Cut from Purbeck marble, the slabs were likely meant to function as crypt monuments or coffin lids for high-ranking members of the clergy. —Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 7 June 2024

The letter from the FDA was the final nail in the coffin for Cue, which had already slashed its workforce and shaken up its C-suite in its futile attempts to appease investors and save the company. —Natallie Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 June 2024

Since then, the gold coffin and Ramses’ mummy have been exhibited at museums around the world. —Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 May 2024

Ayatollah Khamenei, 85, entered with an entourage, laying down his cane in front of the coffins before performing the prayers. —Leily Nikounazar, New York Times, 22 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English cofyn, coffyn "basket, hamper" (in translations from Latin), "chest, box," borrowed from Anglo-French cofin, coffin "basket, chest, container," borrowed from Latin cophinus "large basket, hamper," borrowed from Greek kóphinos "large basket," of pre-Greek substratal origin

Verb

derivative of coffin entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1525, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1564, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing coffin

• a nail in the/someone's coffin
• coffin bone
• coffin corner
• coffin nail

Kids Definition

coffin

noun

cof·​fin

ˈkȯ-fən

: a box or case to hold a dead body