coffin

1 of 2

noun

cof·​fin ˈkȯ-fən How to pronounce coffin (audio)
Synonyms of coffinnext
: 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

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Examples of coffin in a Sentence

Noun coffins are said to be the preferred sleeping places of vampires
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
This news might catch the attention of Panthers fans, as it all but puts the nail in the coffin on Johnny Hekker’s future in Carolina. — Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 13 Mar. 2025 Photos show what the corridor looks like while walking through and what the rectangular chamber looks like from above. Inside the burial chamber, archaeologists found one larger sarcophagus filled with animal bones and five stone coffins, the ministry said. — Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 12 Mar. 2025 Peter’s daughter was lying in the middle in a handmade coffin covered with fabric. — Tom Bartlett, The Atlantic, 11 Mar. 2025 Bibas family The boys' remains were returned Saturday, following a ceremony which saw Hamas militants parade their coffins on stage in scenes that have been widely condemned by human rights groups and the international community. — Max Butterworth, NBC News, 26 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for coffin

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of coffin was in 1525

Phrases Containing coffin

Rhymes for coffin

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Browse Nearby Words

coffin
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Cite this Entry

“Coffin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coffin. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

coffin

noun
cof·​fin
ˈkȯ-fən
: a box or case to hold a dead body

More from Merriam-Webster on coffin

Nglish: Translation of coffin for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about coffin

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