coffer
English · Thesaurus
AI In plain words
Writing a short explanation…
Written by a house AI from the entry below, in your language. The entry itself is the source.
coffer¹
- /ˈkɒfə/ UK
- /ˈkɔfɚ/ US
- /ˈkɑfɚ/ cot caught merger
Sounds like cougher · Rhymes with -ɒfə(ɹ)
Where it comes from
From Middle English cofre, coffre, from Old French cofre, coffre, from Latin cophinus (“basket”), from Ancient Greek κόφινος (kóphinos, “basket”). Doublet of coffin. Cognate with German Koffer (“a suitcase”).
noun coffers · copher · cophre
-
A strong chest or box used for keeping money or valuables safe.
"There is nothing in that," said Guido, "but a genealogy of the Carraras, drawn up by my grandfather. We have kept this little ebony coffer for the sake of its curious carving. The marriage of Cana is beautifully wrought on its lid."
Similar: strongbox
-
An ornamental sunken panel in a ceiling or dome.
Prolapsed and waterstained ceiling, the sagging coffers.
Similar: caisson
- A temporary watertight structure used during underwater construction of bridges, causeways, ships, etc.
- A supply or store of money, often belonging to an organization. c. 1610–1620 (written), 1661 (first published), Francis Bacon, Letter of Advice to the Duke of Buckingham He would discharge it without any great burden to the queen's coffers.
- A trench dug in the bottom of a dry moat, and extending across it, to enable the besieged to defend it with raking fire.
verb coffers · coffering · coffered · copher · cophre
- To put money or valuables in a coffer.
- To decorate something, especially a ceiling, with coffers.
- To panel, frame, or border with a raised protective trim. I must not forget these boxes, which are most ingeniously made of the pith of a palm leaf pegged together, lined inside with pandanus leaves, and outside with the same, or with plaited grass. All the joints and angles are coffered with strips of split rattan sewn neatly on.
Coffer²
proper noun Coffers
- A surname.
Translations
Every language
noun strongbox
| Español | cofre |
|---|---|
| 中文 | 保險箱 /保险箱 bǎoxiǎnxiāng |
| हिन्दी | कोषागार koṣāgār |
| Português | cofre |
| Français | coffre |
| Deutsch | Kassette, Geldkassette, Tresor, Schatztruhe, Truhe, Kiste |
| Italiano | cofano, cofanetto, scrigno, forziere |
| Ελληνικά | σεντούκι sentoúki, κασέλα kaséla, μπαούλο baoúlo, χρηματοκιβώτιο chrimatokivótio |
| Русский | сунду́к sundúk, сейф sejf |
| العربية | خَزْنَة حَدِيدِيَّة ḵazna ḥadīdiyya, خَزْنَة ḵazna, خزانة ḵazāna |
Talk about this word "coffer." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/coffer. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026. coffer. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/coffer "coffer." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 5, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/coffer.Cite this
@misc{coffer_2026,
title = {coffer},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/coffer},
urldate = {2026-11-05}
}
