coffin

1 of 2

noun

cof·​fin ˈkȯ-fən 

: 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

Noun

• casket
• tomb

Examples of coffin in a Sentence

Noun

coffins are said to be the preferred sleeping places of vampires

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Though Elordi filmed in the coffin with a nonvenomous boa constrictor, his character Nate Jacobs is killed by a rattlesnake in the shocking scene. — Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 22 July 2026

Elordi was joined in the coffin by a boa constrictor, which, in the show, was turned into a deadly rattlesnake. — Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 21 July 2026

Standing in front of the open coffin where Salgado Araujo’s bronze profile gazed toward the sky, were Ronaldo Salgado, 29, and his brother, Lorenzo Salgado, 27, who were greeting the visitors. — Albinson Linares, NBC news, 17 July 2026

That contrast was on display last week, when the coffin of Iran’s former leader, Ayatollah ‌Ali Khamenei, traveled to Iraq during his six-day funeral procession. — Lauren Morganbesser, semafor.com, 15 July 2026

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

Phrases Containing coffin

• a nail in the/someone's coffin
• coffin bone
• coffin corner
• coffin nail

Rhymes for coffin

• boffin
• offen
• often
• soften

Kids Definition

coffin

noun

cof·​fin

ˈkȯ-fən

: a box or case to hold a dead body