coffee table

noun

1. a low table, usually placed in front of a sofa, for holding ashtrays, snack bowls, glasses, magazines, etc.

coffee table

noun

1. a low table, on which newspapers, etc, may be placed and coffee served

2. (modifier) implying an emphasis on appearance and style over substance

   coffee-table music

Word History and Origins

Origin of coffee table¹

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

When he moved from New York to L.A., he started over, but he did keep a coffee table made from the wreckage of Hurricane Sandy.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

From across the coffee table, their eyes widened, and their mouths skewed into disbelieving shapes.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Just before production began in July 2024, Taylor allegedly flipped a coffee table and bruised Cartwright’s knee, his estranged wife said on the show.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

In the rare event Moore does make a mistake — like the time he sanded through the veneer on a coffee table — “we have the capabilities to repair it after,” he said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

In a cozy room, one curvy couch with a coffee table and side tables might be all the furniture you need.

Read more on Los Angeles Times