coffee table

American  

noun

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

---

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

---

Etymology

Origin of coffee table

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

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

From Salon • Apr. 19, 2026

Some have since been worked into functional items, with his giant tape measure becoming a coffee table and a big plug turned into a cupboard.

From BBC • Apr. 9, 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

Monographs from esteemed Black artists cover her coffee table; hundreds of vintage Vogue magazines line the wall.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 13, 2026

Grandma put her mug down on the coffee table.

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