coil
UK[kɔɪl]US[kɔɪl]
v
to wind or twist into a series of rings, or to make something do this
n
a length of something, such as rope or wire, wound into a series of loops
n
a single ring of rope, wire, etc. in such a series
n
a contraceptive device in the form of a coil placed in the womb
Etymology
The word 'coil' presents a fascinating journey of semantic narrowing and phonetic contraction. It originates from the Latin verb 'colligere', a compound of 'com-' (together) and 'legere' (to gather). This term passed into Old French as 'cullir' and later Middle French as 'coillir', carrying the core sense of gathering or collecting. In the 16th century, English borrowed the word, initially using it in the sense of gathering something into a circular or spiral form, such as gathering rope into rings. Over time, the more general meanings of "gather" or "disturb" (as in the phrase "shuffle off this mortal coil") faded, and the specific sense of winding into a series of connected rings became the dominant and modern meaning.
Analysis
The modern English word 'coil' is a simplex form derived from the Middle French verb 'coillir', meaning "to gather, pick, select". Its ultimate origin is the Latin verb 'colligere', meaning "to collect, gather together".
Examples
The sailor expertly coiled the rope on the deck.
A coil of smoke rose from the chimney.
She had a copper coil fitted for contraception.