cofferdam

[ kaw-fer-dam, kof-er- ]

/ ˈkɔ fərˌdæm, ˈkɒf ər- /

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noun

a watertight enclosure placed or constructed in waterlogged soil or under water and pumped dry so that construction or repairs can proceed under normal conditions.

Nautical. a sealed void between two bulkheads, as for insulation or as an extra barrier to the escape of liquids or vapors.

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Origin of cofferdam

First recorded in 1730–40; coffer + dam¹

Words nearby cofferdam

coffee spoon, coffee table, coffee-table book, coffee tree, coffer, cofferdam, coffered, Coffeyville, coffin, coffin bone, coffin corner

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use cofferdam in a sentence

And the night shift began to repair the cofferdam for old Jezebel had dropped suddenly back into her old trail.
Still Jim|Honor Willsie Morrow
The foundations were put down by means of a cofferdam which was kept dry by pumping.
Concrete Construction|Halbert P. Gillette
Referring to the cost of cofferdam work, we see that, in order to excavate the 58 cu.
Concrete Construction|Halbert P. Gillette
The lower part of C bulkhead was doubled and was in the form of a cofferdam.
Loss of the Steamship 'Titanic'|British Government

A hand pump served to keep the cofferdam dry enough for excavating; but in more open material a power pump is usually required.
Concrete Construction|Halbert P. Gillette

British Dictionary definitions for cofferdam

cofferdam

/ (ˈkɒfəˌdæm) /

noun

a watertight structure, usually of sheet piling, that encloses an area under water, pumped dry to enable construction work to be carried out. Below a certain depth a caisson is required

(on a ship) a compartment separating two bulkheads or floors, as for insulation or to serve as a barrier against the escape of gas or oil

Often shortened to: coffer

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012