casket
UK[ˈkɑːskɪt]US[ˈkæskɪt]
n
A small, often ornamental box or chest for holding jewels, letters, or other valuable objects.
n
A coffin, especially one that is ornate or rectangular in shape.
Etymology
The word 'casket' traces a journey from a functional container to a term imbued with solemnity. Its ancestor is the Latin 'capsa', a general term for a box or case designed to hold things, derived from 'capere' (to take, hold). Through Old French, it acquired the diminutive form 'casset', suggesting a small, precious box. Entering Middle English, it initially retained this sense of a small chest for valuables. The semantic shift to its modern funerary meaning is a 19th-century American euphemism, applying the notion of a precious container to the coffin, thereby softening the directness of the term.
Analysis
The word 'casket' is a simplex loanword. It entered English from Old French 'casset', a diminutive of 'casse', meaning 'box'. The ultimate origin is Latin 'capsa', meaning 'box' or 'case', from the verb 'capere', 'to take or hold'.
Examples
She kept her grandmother's letters in a small wooden casket on the dresser.
The jeweler opened the velvet-lined casket to reveal a stunning diamond necklace.
The funeral procession was led by a hearse carrying the ornate casket.