Dictionary

coffer en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈkɔfɚ/ (US)
• /ˈkɑfɚ/ (cot-caught-merger)
• /ˈkɒfə/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

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”).

Meanings

1. 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." 1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XIII, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume II, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 163:
2. An ornamental sunken panel in a ceiling or dome.
   • Prolapsed and waterstained ceiling, the sagging coffers. 1979, Cormac McCarthy, Suttree, Random House, page 135:
3. A temporary watertight structure used during underwater construction of bridges, causeways, ships, etc.
4. 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.
   • Hold, there is half my coffer. c. 1601–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Twelfe Night, or What You Will”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii]:
   • The coffers were empty, and the first thing to be done was to devise some means by which we could raise a revenue. 1909, John Claude White, Sikhim and Bhutan, page 26:
5. A trench dug in the bottom of a dry moat, and extending across it, to enable the besieged to defend it with raking fire.

Forms

Coordinates

pocketbook · caisson · wallet · pocket · vault

Deriveds

cofferlike · green coffer · coffered ceiling · cofferer · cofferfish · coffer illusion · cofferwork · coffer dam

Synonyms

cofferdam · strongbox · caisson · caisson

Translations (78)

pl szkatułka (strongbox) · enm coffyn (strongbox) · cs kasa (strongbox) · fi kassa-arkku (strongbox) · de Kiste (strongbox) · ca cofre (strongbox) · fr caisson (architecture: ornamental sunken panel) · el κασέλα (strongbox) · es casetón (architecture: ornamental sunken panel) · de Kassetten (architecture: ornamental sunken panel) · ar خَزْنَة حَدِيدِيَّة (strongbox) · ajp خزانة (strongbox) · ca arques (supply or store of money) · fi kasetti (architecture: ornamental sunken panel) · io kaso (supply or store of money) · es cofre (strongbox) · ota صندوق (strongbox) · el ταμείο (supply or store of money) · gl cofre (strongbox) · kmr sindoq (strongbox) · de Kassette (architecture: ornamental sunken panel) · enm cofre (supply or store of money) · it scrigno (strongbox) · cs kazeta (architecture: ornamental sunken panel) · grc ῥίσκος (strongbox) · grc χηλός (strongbox) · tr kasa (strongbox) · de Schatztruhe (strongbox) · el σεντούκι (strongbox) · la arca (strongbox) · gl casetón (architecture: ornamental sunken panel) · bg хазна (supply or store of money) · cs kasa (supply or store of money) · es arcas (supply or store of money) · de Truhe (strongbox) · el κορβανάς (supply or store of money) · ca cassetó (architecture: ornamental sunken panel) · nl cassette (architecture: ornamental sunken panel) · tr kutu (strongbox) · fr coffre (strongbox) · bg касе́та (architecture: ornamental sunken panel) · it forziere (strongbox) · fi kassa (supply or store of money) · tr sandık (strongbox) · nl koffer (strongbox) · pt cofre (strongbox) · el χρηματοκιβώτιο (strongbox) · it cassettone (architecture: ornamental sunken panel) · de Kasse (supply or store of money) · ru сунду́к (strongbox) · pl kaseton (architecture: ornamental sunken panel) · de Geldkassette (strongbox) · cmn 保險箱 /保险箱 (strongbox) · it cofanetto (strongbox) · el μπαούλο (strongbox) · ru казна́ (supply or store of money) · bg сейф (strongbox) · fi kassalipas (strongbox) · hu kazetta (architecture: ornamental sunken panel) · sv kassett (architecture: ornamental sunken panel) · grc καλαθίσκος (architecture: ornamental sunken panel) · bg каса (strongbox) · cs pokladna (strongbox) · ar خَزْنَة (strongbox) · da kassette (architecture: ornamental sunken panel) · pt caixotão (architecture: ornamental sunken panel) · ru сейф (strongbox) · it cofano (strongbox) · hi कोषागार (strongbox) · de Kassette (strongbox) · pl szkatuła (strongbox) · gl artesón (architecture: ornamental sunken panel) · ba һандыҡ (strongbox) · de Kasten (strongbox) · de Tresor (strongbox) · afb تجوري (strongbox) · enm cofre (strongbox) · ar خزانة (strongbox)

wikidata: Q205077 · wikidata: Q366134 · wikidata: Q640104

coffer en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈkɔfɚ/ (US)
• /ˈkɑfɚ/ (cot-caught-merger)
• /ˈkɒfə/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

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”).

Meanings

1. (transitive) To put money or valuables in a coffer.
2. (transitive) To decorate something, especially a ceiling, with coffers.
3. (transitive) 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. 1869, Alfred Russel Wallace, The Malay Archipelago, volume II, London: Macmillan and Co., page 257:

Forms