coffin

noun cof·fin \ ˈkȯ-fən \

|Updated on: 22 Jun 2018

Examples: coffin in a Sentence

Definition of coffin

: a box or chest for burying a corpse — compare casket

See coffin defined for English-language learners

See coffin defined for kids

Examples of coffin in a Sentence

coffins are said to be the preferred sleeping places of vampires

Recent Examples of coffin from the Web

While Sanford had already expressed reservations at his chances of winning, Trump’s tweet appeared to be the nail in his coffin.

— natasha bach, Fortune, "The Power of a Trump Tweet: Mark Sanford Defeated in Primary After President's Last-Minute Twitter Attack," 13 June 2018
Men carry a coffin during a mock funeral on Rockaway Beach symbolizing the death of the local economy because of the city's decision to close part of the beach.

— melanie grayce west, WSJ, "Rockaway Residents Worry About Beach Closings," 3 June 2018
The repeal of the 8th Amendment might well be the nail in its coffin.

— zack beauchamp, Vox, "Ireland votes to repeal abortion ban in historic referendum," 26 May 2018
Zubaydah, a Saudi citizen, was waterboarded 83 times, suspended from hooks in the ceiling, and forced into a coffin for hours at a time, according to a 2014 report by the Intelligence Committee on the CIA's use of torture.

— erin kelly, USA TODAY, "Senators to press Gina Haspel about her role in CIA torture program during Wednesday hearing," 8 May 2018
Members of the Kennedy family took turns standing on the back of the last car, which carried the coffin in full view of the public.

— alice george, Smithsonian, "When Robert Kennedy Delivered the News of Martin Luther King’s Assassination," 2 Apr. 2018
From 2003 to 2005, Haspel oversaw the top-secret CIA program where dozens of suspected terrorists were deprived of sleep, stuffed into coffins and had water forced down their throats, according to The New Yorker.

— dartunorro clark, NBC News, "Who is Gina Haspel, Trump’s new CIA head? ‘Spymaster’ with a torture past," 13 Mar. 2018
Sherman said amid a crowd of marchers carrying the coffins.

— carissa wolf, Houston Chronicle, "In Idaho, medical-care exemptions for faith healing come under fire," 3 Mar. 2018
Sherman said amid a crowd of marchers carrying the coffins.

— carissa wolf, idahostatesman, "Medical care could have saved his brother’s life. His parents prayed instead.," 20 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'coffin.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of coffin

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1525

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year