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

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

Osbourne’s coffin, transported inside of a hearse decorated with a purple crucifix and his name in flowers, traveled down Broad Street to the Black Sabbath Bridge and bench, which have long been gathering spots for fans. —Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 1 Aug. 2025

The issue has split the tech industry into warring factions, and civil liberties advocates say these laws will put another nail in the coffin of a free internet. —Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 31 July 2025

Now, if the Bronx Bombers don't add pitching before the deadline, that might be the nail in the coffin of their World Series hopes. —Zach Pressnell, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 July 2025

This was yet another nail in the coffin of his legacy. —John Devore, Rolling Stone, 26 July 2025

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
• tryptophan

Kids Definition

coffin

noun

cof·​fin

ˈkȯ-fən

: a box or case to hold a dead body