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
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
But the situation is far more tragic, with videos on social media showing dozens of coffins lined up beside mass graves, awaiting burial before the bodies decompose in the heat. — ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026 Wails and moans of grief interspersed the chanting, until the small coffin was lowered into the grave. — Victoria Davies, Rolling Stone, 31 Aug. 2026 Leading the coffin were the new King Haakon and Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra, 22. — Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026 After the church service, the crowd climbed up a steep hill and followed the hearses transporting the coffins to a nearby cemetery. — Evens Sanon, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 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 4 Sep. 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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