coil

1 of 3

noun (1)

1
2
: trouble
also : everyday cares and worries
when we have shuffled off this mortal coil William Shakespeare

coil

2 of 3

verb

coiled; coiling; coils

transitive verb

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

intransitive verb

1
: to move in a circular or spiral course
2
: to form or lie in a coil
coilability noun

coil

3 of 3

noun (2)

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
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
The 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

Examples of coil in a Sentence

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
Noun
The manager shows the vine coils (kouloura), making the landscape look hardly like a typical vineyard and more like it’s covered with lush, low-to-the-ground wreaths. Jeanine Barone, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 The superheated vapor then moves through an indoor coil, where fans blow air across it, moving heat into the home. IEEE Spectrum, 26 Feb. 2024 Makeup artist Pat McGrath took a break from owning social feeds to offer Tyla a preternatural glow that played well with her soft, goddess-like coils. Calin Van Paris, Vogue, 5 Feb. 2024 Most anglers just rinse their fly reels off with freshwater, but that water may not penetrate and flush the coils of thick line on the spool. Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 7 Dec. 2023 Read on and trim coils, kinks, waves, and curls the right way, while at home. Akili King, Vogue, 28 Nov. 2023 Black girls from across the globe spill into this event on a spacious lawn to show off their beautiful kinks, supple coils, and flowing curls. Keyaira Boone, Essence, 29 Jan. 2024 In most models, a fan sucks up air from the room, heats it with a metal coil, then expels it back out. Hannah Holland, Washington Post, 25 Jan. 2024 Then a high-frequency current is run through a copper coil around the quartz tube, which heats the graphite crucible through induction. IEEE Spectrum, 18 Jan. 2024
Verb
Each egg features realistic speckles—like the real deal—and the wreath’s natural twig base coils around the eggs to add even more interest and a touch of texture. Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Mar. 2024 Covered in mud, Hill and another man straddled the Cobra’s rocket pods; the two others coiled themselves around the landing skids. Brian Murphy, Washington Post, 2 Feb. 2024 Its arrangement is pristine and intoxicating: yearning strings, stately brass, a tenor sax that coils itself around the lush oohs and ahhs of the track's backup singers like a satin ribbon. Jason Lamphier, EW.com, 17 Dec. 2023 The snake usually provides warning signs such as coiling up, rattling their tails and hissing. The Arizona Republic, 22 Feb. 2024 In a deft bit of maneuvering, Tiffany had gotten his hands on the 20 miles of surplus cable left coiled in the Niagara’s holds. Robert Klara, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Feb. 2024 Megan Thee Stallion is coiling herself around her haters like a cobra, sinking her fangs in and devouring them. Sadie Bell, Peoplemag, 26 Jan. 2024 Suddenly, the form of the coiling serpent dangling from the tree by her head is seen to match the shape of her own spiraling hair, which is directly adjacent. Christopher Knight, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Jan. 2024 This Cord Wrapper is a sleek and compact organizer designed to keep your charging cables, headphones, and other cords neatly coiled and easily accessible. Priscilla Mak, Rolling Stone, 7 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'coil.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

origin unknown

Verb

French coillir, cuillir to gather — more at cull

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1567, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1611, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (2)

1661, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Time Traveler
The first known use of coil was in 1567

Dictionary Entries Near coil

Cite this Entry

“Coil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coil. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

coil

1 of 2 verb
1
: 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 noun
1
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
3
: a series of connected pipes (as in water-heating apparatus) in rows, layers, or windings

Medical Definition

More from Merriam-Webster on coil

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