coffin
UK[ˈkɒfɪn]US[ˈkɔːfɪn]
n
A long box in which the body of a dead person is buried or cremated.
Etymology
The word 'coffin' entered English in the early 14th century from Old French, where it originally referred to a chest, casket, or even a basket. Its lineage traces back to Latin 'cophinus' and Greek 'kophinos', both meaning a woven basket. This semantic evolution from a general container for goods to a specific container for the deceased is a common pattern of specialization. The modern, somber meaning became firmly established in English by the 16th century, illustrating how a word for an everyday object can acquire a highly specific and formal function.
Analysis
The word 'coffin' is a simplex loanword from French, derived from the Old French 'cofin', meaning 'basket, chest'. Its ultimate origin is the Latin 'cophinus', meaning 'basket', which came from the Greek 'kophinos', also meaning 'basket'.
Examples
The pallbearers carried the heavy oak coffin slowly to the graveside.
In some cultures, coffins are elaborately decorated to honor the deceased.
The ancient Egyptians placed mummies in ornate stone coffins called sarcophagi.