coffer

American  

[kaw-fer, kof-er] / ˈkɔ fər, ˈkɒf ər /

noun

1. a box or chest, especially one for valuables.

2. coffers, a treasury; funds.

   The coffers of the organization were rapidly filled by the contributions.

3. any of various boxlike enclosures, as a cofferdam.

4. Also called caisson, lacunar.  Architecture. one of a number of sunken panels, usually square or octagonal, in a vault, ceiling, or soffit.

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verb (used with object)

1. to deposit or lay up in or as in a coffer or chest.

2. to ornament with coffers or sunken panels.

coffer British  

/ ˈkɒfə /

noun

1. a chest, esp for storing valuables

2. (usually plural) a store of money

3. Also called: caisson.   lacuna.  an ornamental sunken panel in a ceiling, dome, etc

4. a watertight box or chamber

5. 1. short for cofferdam

   2. a recessed panel in a concrete, metal, or timber soffit

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verb

1. to store, as in a coffer

2. to decorate (a ceiling, dome, etc) with coffers

Other Word Forms

• cofferlike
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of coffer

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English cofre, from Old French, ultimately from Latin cophinus “basket”; see coffin

Explanation

A coffer is a small safe or lockbox that's meant for keeping precious or valuable items safe. Your grandfather might keep his important papers in a coffer in his study. You can keep your heirlooms, jewels, and savings bonds in a coffer, a safe chest for tucking such things safely away. Coffer takes on a figurative meaning when you talk about the coffers of a large institution: "There's plenty of money in the government coffers — they just don't want to spend it on education!" Yet another meaning of the word is "decorative sunken panel in a ceiling," such as one you'd see in a mosque, museum, or cathedral ceiling.

Example Sentences

He told me about John Coffer, who for decades has been running a camp in Dundee, New York, where he teaches people about the tintype process.

From The Verge • Mar. 9, 2022

Here Juliet Coffer, who has a severe lung condition and has been isolating for more than 800 days, explains how she feels unsafe at the prospect of Covid restrictions being scrapped.

From BBC • Feb. 21, 2022

According to the Coffer Peach Business Tracker, which collates sales figures from 32 pub chains, about four out of 10 chain pubs began serving drinks again last weekend after being closed for nearly four months.

From The Guardian • Jul. 10, 2020

“We’ve put over 1,200 folks into space, which I’d like to say is more than all the governments combined,” Coffer says.

From US News • Aug. 3, 2016

I have experimented with the latter, but only in such small quantity as I could obtain; but so far as I can ascertain the stone of the Coffer is absolutely impervious to its influence.

From The Jewel of Seven Stars by Stoker, Bram

Related Words

• exchequer
• treasury
• war chest