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

Noun

• bier
• box
• casket
• pall
• sarcophagus

Examples of coffin in a Sentence

Noun

coffins are said to be the preferred sleeping places of vampires

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

On Tuesday, the New York Giants officially signed veteran quarterback Russell Wilson, putting a nail in the coffin of Aaron Rodgers joining the team. —Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Mar. 2025

Longtime fans of the series worry that this might be the final nail in the coffin for the once-beloved RPG. —Erik Kain, Forbes, 25 Mar. 2025

The ruling from the state Court of Appeals likely marks the final nail in the coffin for the law, as the City Council, which adopted the measure in 2021, has no higher venue to appeal the matter to. —Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 20 Mar. 2025

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

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
• tryptophan

Kids Definition

coffin

noun

cof·​fin

ˈkȯ-fən

: a box or case to hold a dead body