coffer

1 of 2

noun

cof·​fer ˈkȯ-fər 

ˈkä-

1

: chest

Among the items at the auction was an 18th-century oak coffer.

especially : strongbox

put the money in the coffer

2

: treasury, funds

—usually used in plural

… public coffers running dry in a bleak economy …

—Vivienne Walt and Roya Wolverson

corporate coffers

3

: a recessed panel in a vault, ceiling, or soffit

ceiling coffers

coffer

2 of 2

verb

coffered; coffering; coffers

transitive verb

1

: to store or hoard up in a coffer

coffered his military memorabilia

2

: to form (something, such as a ceiling) with recessed panels

A ceiling that is coffered will bring an added dimension to a large room.

Synonyms

Noun

• safe
• safe-deposit box
• strongbox

Examples of coffer in a Sentence

Noun

kept the jewels in a locked coffer

let me see what's in the household coffers and I'll get back to you about making a donation

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

More:Ratings shifts, new polls: Where the Indiana governor's race stands after a wild week After raising $3.2 million this quarter, which spanned July through September, Braun has left himself with $1.3 million in his coffers for the sprint to Election Day on Nov. 5. —Kayla Dwyer, The Indianapolis Star, 15 Oct. 2024

But Black Durham’s enterprises also extended beyond the company’s coffers. —Victor Luckerson, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Sep. 2024

Verb

Together, the state Democratic Party and the Illinois House Democrats’ campaign arm reported $5.56 million in their campaign coffers through September after spending $7.67 million in the past quarter, according to the State Board of Elections. —Olivia Olander, Chicago Tribune, 21 Oct. 2024

But starting in 2004, coffers full of cash and tradable stock after the company’s IPO, Google’s executives went on a takeover binge. —Andrew Cockburn, Harper's Magazine, 20 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English cofre, coffre, borrowed from Anglo-French, altered (with n to r) from Latin cophinus "large basket, hamper" (sense "chest" attested in early Medieval Latin), borrowed from Greek kóphinos "large basket" — more at coffin entry 1

Verb

Middle English cofren, derivative of cofre coffer entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

coffer

noun

cof·​fer

ˈkȯ-fər,

ˈkäf-ər

1

: a box used especially to store money and valuables

2

: treasury sense 1, funds

—usually used in plural