coiled; coiling; coils
1
: to wind into rings or spirals
coil a rope
2
: to roll or twist into a shape resembling a coil
coiled herself up on the couch
plural coils
1
a(1)
: a series of loops
(2)
: spiral
b
: a single loop of such a coil
2
a
: a number of turns of wire wound around a core (as of iron) to create a magnetic field for an electromagnet or an induction coil
b
3
: a series of connected pipes in rows, layers, or windings
4
: a roll of postage stamps
also
: a stamp from such a roll
5
medical
: intrauterine device
That means no condoms, no pills, no coils or sterilization …—
Christine M. Flowers
Christine M. FlowersThe IUD or 'coil' is a small plastic (or plastic and copper) device, not much longer than a match, which is placed inside your womb, where it prevents you from getting pregnant. It's often called a 'coil' because most of the original IUDs were coil-shaped.—David Delvin
David DelvinExamples of coil in a Sentence
Noun (1)
amidst the coil of the office renovations, we even managed to get some work done
Verb
She coiled the loose thread around her finger.
A long scarf was coiled around her neck.
The cat coiled up into a ball.
The snake coiled around its prey.
Recent Examples on the Web
David Sims, The Atlantic, 2 May 2025
The Slate’s chassis is a simple design with a Macpherson strut front suspension and a De Dion axle and coil spring rear.
—New Atlas, 25 Apr. 2025
Yun Li, CNBC, 23 Apr. 2025
Named after the serpent king from Hindu mythology who coils around Lord Shiva’s neck, Vasuki indicus carries a name as rooted in India as the rocks it was pulled from.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for coil
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Noun
Yelena is an ex-Soviet mercenary à la Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow; after that character shuffled off the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s mortal coil, Yelena stepped into the vacant role.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 2 May 2025
The Slate’s chassis is a simple design with a Macpherson strut front suspension and a De Dion axle and coil spring rear.
—New Atlas, 25 Apr. 2025
Verb
Flood echoed the sentiment of many traders that have said the market appeared coiled for a relief rally because so many hedge funds were caught on the wrong side of this bet.
—Yun Li, CNBC, 23 Apr. 2025
Named after the serpent king from Hindu mythology who coils around Lord Shiva’s neck, Vasuki indicus carries a name as rooted in India as the rocks it was pulled from.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for coil
Cite this Entry
“Coil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coil. Accessed 21 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
coil
1 of 2 verb1
: to wind into or lie in loops, rings, or a spiral
2
: to move in a circular, spiral, or winding direction
coil
2 of 2 noun1
a
: a series of loops : spiral
b
: a single loop of a coil
2
a
: a number of turns of wire wound around a core (as of iron) to create a magnetic field for an electromagnet or an induction coil
b
3
: a series of connected pipes (as in water-heating apparatus) in rows, layers, or windings
Medical Definition
coil
nounLove words? Need even more definitions?
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