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 of coffin

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Noun

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Examples of coffin in a Sentence

Noun coffins are said to be the preferred sleeping places of vampires
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Noun
Chicago extinguished New England's last-minute comeback bid courtesy of exceptional clock management by coach Johnson and a nail-in-the-coffin, career-best 58-yard field goal from Cairo Santos. — Alejandro Avila Outkick, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026 The corpse’s fingernails were bloody and the inside of the coffin was shredded from Mary’s trying to scratch her way out. — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 22 Oct. 2026 Her husband, a carpenter, crafted the racing coffin for Geisen Funeral Home and Lauhm painted it in the style of the Tim Burton movie Corpse Bride. — Anna Ortiz, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026 Pull some treats from the open coffin at Scotto Funeral Home, on the corner of Court Street and 2nd Place, then head to President near Hoyt to gawk at bloodstained windows and mutilated dolls. — Fiorella Valdesolo, Curbed, 21 Oct. 2026 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

cofferfish
coffin
coffin bone
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Coffin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coffin. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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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

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about coffin

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