coffee table

American  

noun

coffee tables plural

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

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coffee table British  

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

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• coffee tables
  plural

Etymology

Origin of coffee table

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

When did you last buy a hardback and what was it – a cookbook, a coffee table book or fiction?

From BBC • May 24, 2026

On the coffee table lay a large format book titled “The World’s Most Beautiful Paintings,” or something similar.

From Salon • Apr. 19, 2026

On a notebook on her coffee table, she wrote Cynthia Renee Ortiz, doodling hearts around her prospective married name.

From Slate • Apr. 6, 2026

A small hexagonal black coffee table is perched in front of the couch, while a black-and-tan patterned rug adds some texture and depth to the space.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 24, 2026

Patricia pointed to the wrapped rectangle on the coffee table.

From "From the Desk of Zoe Washington" by Janae Marks