coffee-table

1 of 2

adjective

cof·​fee-ta·​ble ˈkȯ-fē-ˌtā-bəl 

ˈkä-

: of, relating to, or being an article (such as a book or magazine) intended for display (as on a coffee table)

coffee table

2 of 2

noun

: a low table customarily placed in front of a sofa

called also cocktail table

Examples of coffee-table in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Sometime in the mid-sixties, Sam brought home a coffee-table book about astrology, and Linda became consumed by it, launching into a self-education that approached mania. — Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 1 June 2026

The script, originally set in Los Angeles, was sent to prospective backers accompanied by a 200-page coffee-table book. — Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 23 May 2026

Noun

Now, buyers touring the house walk into an entryway staged with two curved, ivory couches facing each other across a coffee table that’s topped with design books and plants. — Catherine Odom, Miami Herald, 11 Aug. 2026

But a slightly dusty coffee table isn’t where Chin-Hong directs most of his energy. — Angela Haupt, Time, 10 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1962, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1877, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for coffee-table

• eatable
• treatable
• depletable
• repeatable
• unbeatable

Kids Definition

coffee table

noun

: a low table usually placed in front of a sofa