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

This legal position was the nail in the coffin for Biden's catch and release policies. — Anna Alejo, CBS News, 1 July 2026

The morgue that serves La Guaira is makeshift—a white tent on a dock lined with body bags and coffins. — Gisela Salim-Peyer, The Atlantic, 1 July 2026

In Maracay, a carpenter is collecting donations to build coffins free of charge and deliver them to La Guaira. — Tibisay Zea, Christian Science Monitor, 30 June 2026

That could be the nail in the coffin for Curaçao. — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 26 June 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