coffer

/ˈkɒfə/

//ˈkɒfə// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"coffer" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“coffer” is uncommon English (frequency #76,654 among 5,599 “C” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#76,654
frequency rank, English
5,599
“C” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A strong chest or box used for keeping money or valuables safe.

Corpus desk

Index EN-coffer · coffer · English

coffer · rank #76,654 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #76,654
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 5,599
  • PHOTO-FINISH collectivity

Nearest frequency peer: collectivity (+1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Long-tail ranks near “coffer”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “coffer” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for coffer
PropertyValue
Headwordcoffer
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈkɒfə/
Letters6
Frequency rank#76,654
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “coffer” in English

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).cofferfalls in this rarity band:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Rare peers in the same band: “collectivity” (#76,655), “clownfish” (#76,650), “cloven” (#76,649). Among 5,599 “C” headwords, “coffer” is #76,654. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

coffer is uncommon English at frequency #76,654 among 5,599 “C” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈkɒfə/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 5 senses are on record.

No misspelling variants are generated for coffer in our index, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English cofre, coffre, from Old French cofre, coffre, from Latin cophinus (“basket”), from Ancient Greek κόφινος (kóphinos, “basket”). Doublet of coffin. Cognate with German Koffer (“a suitcase”). The correct English form is coffer, spelled C-O-F-F-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    A strong chest or box used for keeping money or valuables safe.
  2. 2
    An ornamental sunken panel in a ceiling or dome.
  3. 3
    A cofferdam.
  4. 4
    A supply or store of money, often belonging to an organization.
  5. 5
    A trench dug in the bottom of a dry moat, and extending across it, to enable the besieged to defend it with raking fire.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how coffer appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. "There is nothing in that," said Guido, "but a genealogy of the Carraras, drawn up by my grandfather. We have kept this little ebony coffer for the sake of its curious carving. The marriage of Cana is beautifully wrought on its lid."
  2. Prolapsed and waterstained ceiling, the sagging coffers.

Etymology

From Middle English cofre, coffre, from Old French cofre, coffre, from Latin cophinus (“basket”), from Ancient Greek κόφινος (kóphinos, “basket”). Doublet of coffin. Cognate with German Koffer (“a suitcase”).

This word in other languages

cofre(Español)coffre(Français)Kassette(Deutsch)cofre(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "coffer"?
"coffer" is spelled C-O-F-F-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkɒfə/.
What does "coffer" mean?
As a noun, "coffer" means: A strong chest or box used for keeping money or valuables safe.
How do you pronounce "coffer"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "coffer" is /ˈkɒfə/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "coffer"?
From Middle English cofre, coffre, from Old French cofre, coffre, from Latin cophinus (“basket”), from Ancient Greek κόφινος (kóphinos, “basket”). Doublet of coffin. Cognate with German Koffer (“a suitcase”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "coffer", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 6 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

cloven#76,649Cleves#76,646Conran#76,663Coombe#76,666

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list