coffee table
Americannoun
noun
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a low table, on which newspapers, etc, may be placed and coffee served
-
(modifier) implying an emphasis on appearance and style over substance
coffee-table music
Etymology
Origin of coffee table
First recorded in 1875–80
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
On a notebook on her coffee table, she wrote Cynthia Renee Ortiz, doodling hearts around her prospective married name.
From Slate • Apr. 6, 2026
The host took umbrage and digitally manipulated photos to show damage to the property, including a large crack in a coffee table, claiming the guest had caused more than $15,000 in damage.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 3, 2026
His team is also planning to release a coffee table book about Los Angeles culture.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2026
But a few spots go further, inviting guests to purchase the sofa they napped on, or coffee table where they ate breakfast.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 7, 2026
“Of course he wants to bring you home,” Cecilia said, leaning out over the coffee table to be close to us.
From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.