casket

noun

cas·​ket ˈka-skət How to pronounce casket (audio)
1
: a small chest or box (as for jewels)
2
: a usually fancy coffin
casket transitive verb

Examples of casket in a Sentence

bought a beautiful casket when her grandmother died a small casket of jewels
Recent Examples on the Web With the casket open, Navalny’s mother and father stroked and kissed his head. Dasha Litvinova and Katie Marie Davies, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2024 Many cemeteries bury their caskets in vaults or liners, often made of concrete, which are meant to be protective receptacles. Sarah Bowman, The Indianapolis Star, 23 Feb. 2024 Phase 1 wouldn’t have any crypts to bury caskets, and instead would have 15,532 spaces for cremation remains. Michael Slaten, Orange County Register, 26 Jan. 2024 Usually, bodies are buried in a metal casket or one that is wood but lacquered and treated with other chemicals. Sarah Bowman, The Indianapolis Star, 23 Feb. 2024 In the post, Snoop Dogg (whose real name is Calvin Broadus Jr.) could be seen standing alongside Worthington’s casket with other members of the funeral party wearing an all red suit with a matching red hat and dark sunglasses. Kimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 22 Feb. 2024 By the time pallbearers carried Jonathan’s casket to the graveside, about 50 people had gathered for the ceremony. Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC News, 11 Feb. 2024 The beloved lies in a casket, resting on her favorite blanket, surrounded by photos and some of her toys. Matt Keenan, Kansas City Star, 6 Feb. 2024 From there, the bodies are prepared for their final resting place and placed in caskets. Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 2 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'casket.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, perhaps modification of Middle French cassette

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of casket was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near casket

Cite this Entry

“Casket.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/casket. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

casket

noun
cas·​ket ˈkas-kət How to pronounce casket (audio)
1
: a small chest or box (as for jewels)
2
: coffin

More from Merriam-Webster on casket

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