coil

¹ American  

[koil] / kɔɪl /

noun

1. a connected series of spirals or rings that rope, wire, or the like has been formed into.

   A coil of string was wound around the pole.

2. one of a connected series of spirals or rings that rope, wire, or the like has been formed into.

   Grab the first coil of the yarn and slip it over the other two.

3. an arrangement of pipes wound up in a spiral or series, as in a radiator.

4. a continuous pipe having inlet and outlet, or flow and return ends.

5. Medicine/Medical. an intrauterine device.

6. Electricity.

   1. a conductor, such as a copper wire, wound up in a spiral or similar form.

   2. a device made up of this type of conductor.

   3. ignition coil.

7. Philately.

   1. a stamp issued in a roll, usually of 500 stamps, and usually perforated vertically or horizontally only.

   2. a roll of such stamps.

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verb (used with object)

• coils,
  present (3rd person singular)
• coiled,
  past participle,  past
• coiling
  present participle

1. to wind into continuous, regularly spaced rings one above the other.

   The first step of this craft is to coil a wire around a pencil.

2. to wind on a flat surface into a connected series of rings, one atop the other.

   He coiled the rope on the deck.

3. to gather (rope, wire, etc.) into loops.

   She coiled the garden hose and hung it on the hook.

verb (used without object)

• coils,
  present (3rd person singular)
• coiled,
  past participle,  past
• coiling
  present participle

1. to form rings, spirals, etc.; gather or retract in a circular way.

   The snake coiled, ready to strike.

2. to move in or follow a winding course.

   The river coiled through the valley.

coil ² American  

[koil] / kɔɪl /

noun

Archaic.

1. a noisy disturbance; commotion; tumult.

2. trouble; bustle; ado.

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coil ¹ British  

/ kɔɪl /

verb

1. to wind or gather (ropes, hair, etc) into loops or (of rope, hair, etc) to be formed in such loops

2. (intr) to move in a winding course

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noun

1. something wound in a connected series of loops

2. a single loop of such a series

3. an arrangement of pipes in a spiral or loop, as in a condenser

4. an electrical conductor wound into the form of a spiral, sometimes with a soft iron core, to provide inductance or a magnetic field See also induction coil

5. an intrauterine contraceptive device in the shape of a coil

6. the transformer in a petrol engine that supplies the high voltage to the sparking plugs

coil ² British  

/ kɔɪl /

noun

1. the troubles and activities of the world (in the Shakespearean phrase this mortal coil )

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• coilability
  noun
• coiler
  noun
• coilable
  adjective
• uncoiled
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• coiling
  present
• coiled
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• coil
  simple
• coils
  simple
• have coiled
  perfect
• has coiled
  perfect
• am coiling
  progressive
• are coiling
  progressive
• is coiling
  progressive
• have been coiling
  perfect progressive
• has been coiling
  perfect progressive

Past

• coiled
  simple
• had coiled
  perfect
• was coiling
  progressive
• were coiling
  progressive
• had been coiling
  perfect progressive

Future

• will coil
  simple
• will have coiled
  perfect
• will be coiling
  progressive
• will have been coiling
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of coil¹

First recorded in 1605–15; of uncertain origin; perhaps from Middle French, Old French coillir, cuillir “to take” (modern French cueillir “to gather, pick”), from Latin colligere “to gather together”; see collect, cull

Origin of coil²

First recorded in 1560–70; origin uncertain

Explanation

A coil is a spiral shape or a series of circles, each one inside another. You might see a coil of rope on a dock or coils of hair in a fancy hairdo. A snake naturally curls its body into a coil, and the end of a whip after it's been cracked tends to form a coil. To move in this way is also to coil, as when your cat coils around your leg or you coil a necklace around your finger. This verb form is the earliest meaning of coil, from the Middle French coillir, "to gather," with the Latin root colligere, "to gather together."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

coil coils coiled coiling

At the top of the machine is a smaller coil that produces frequencies and harmonics.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026

"At these stages, the embryos don't have muscles to move with, so different forces are making them coil right-handed," Weber explains.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 1, 2026

Graham shuttles off this mortal coil with no such vindication.

From Slate ● Jul. 13, 2026

What you will find are the lovable supporting actors of the meat world: skirt steak, pork riblets, chuck roast, spicy sausage, the occasional coil of chorizo.

From Salon ● May 22, 2026

Two white cobras coil around each other as they rise from the woven basket, in perfect time with the music.

From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern

"Some remain in right-handed coils, but some recoil to the left side," Weber says.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 1, 2026

Many of the adverts also appeared to be AI-generated, using visuals such as copper coils and metallic boxes to make the products seem more sophisticated.

From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026

On Independence Day 1826, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson—former presidents who had been great friends, then bitter enemies, then friends again—shuffled off their mortal coils within hours of each other.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026

He estimates the tune-up can help a household save up to 15% on an electric bill, “especially if coils are dirty and airflow is restricted,” Rogers said.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 29, 2026

“Sorry,” I muttered, untwisting my fingers from her coils of hair.

From "Root Magic" by Eden Royce

The performances bear that out, from Benton and Bing’s steady inner light to Compère’s coiled, watchful Tosha, a compelling portrait of skepticism inside this cocoon of warmth.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026

When officers finally acted, they pulled only half the hose out, leaving the rest coiled inside the cabinet, and stood there baffled as to why the water wouldn’t flow.

From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026

"It's the history, the quirkiness, the layout of the arena, how close the spectators are. It's everything," says Crucible MC Rob Walker, a coiled spring each April.

From BBC ● Apr. 20, 2026

As Linda, she exudes a tightly coiled ferocity in sharp contrast to the fog of despair in which Willy seems to move.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 10, 2026

Mr. Denny was on the quarter-deck with the rest of the line coiled.

From "Carry On, Mr. Bowditch" by Jean Lee Latham

The 2011 “Snake” dress, an oily, coiling swarm made of black polyvinyl, cotton and tulle, is a Hieronymus Bosch horror, everyone’s nightmare.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 19, 2026

All of it is held together via a coiling design that feels full of movement.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 11, 2026

Such coiling action often resolves in an explosive move.

From Barron's ● Jan. 26, 2026

She points out the spool of paper tickets in the box office, now coiling on the floor and ready to be counted.

From Salon ● Dec. 18, 2025

The girls leaned in close to watch the blue flower stretch itself upright, stem coiling around Ella's fingers.

From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton

Related Words

• braid
• tendril