cofferdam

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

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

coffeeberry, coffeecake, coffeehouse, coffeepot, coffer, cofferdam, coffered, coffeyville, coffin, coffin bone, coffin corner
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for cofferdam

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