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)

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)

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

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

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

Carroll couldn’t quite believe they managed to keep Vance’s departure from this mortal coil under wraps.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2026

The beaches are empty, and he can concentrate on the beeping in his bulbous yellow headphones, which grows louder as the coil gets closer to metal.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026

You have to strain to see him, way up there, high above this mortal coil.

From Slate • Feb. 16, 2026

This torque travels along the strand, causing sections outside the pore to coil into plectonemes.

From Science Daily • Feb. 9, 2026

Matthias hoisted a massive coil of rope over each shoulder.

From "Six of Crows" by Leigh Bardugo

Related Words

• braid
• tendril