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 of coffin

Noun

• casket
• tomb

Examples of coffin in a Sentence

Noun

coffins are said to be the preferred sleeping places of vampires

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

It was later relocated to the base of the abbey’s northwest tower, a task that took more than 36 hours due to the coffin’s weight. — Mindy Weisberger, CNN Money, 2 Nov. 2026

There is also evidence that the body was originally housed in a timber coffin that decayed over the ensuing seven centuries. — ArsTechnica, 2 Nov. 2026

Real Legend James Smithson’s coffin caught fire in the Smithsonian Castle. — Sophia Solano, Washington Post, 31 Oct. 2026

Diversity programs requiring applicants to come from certain racial or ethnic groups have long been on legally tenuous ground, but the nail in the coffin came in 2023 when the Supreme Court struck down race-conscious admissions in colleges. — Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 27 Oct. 2026

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

Rhymes for coffin

• boffin
• offen
• often
• soften

Kids Definition

coffin

noun

cof·​fin

ˈkȯ-fən

: a box or case to hold a dead body