# coil

> English word · Noun · IPA /kɔɪl/ · frequency rank #10,666

## Definitions
1. Something wound in the form of a helix or spiral.
2. Any intrauterine device (abbreviation: IUD)—the first IUDs were coil-shaped.
3. A coil of electrically conductive wire through which electricity can flow.
4. A cylinder of clay.
5. Entanglement; perplexity.

## Etymology
From Middle English coilen, from Old French coillir, cuillir (“to gather, pluck, pick, cull”) (modern French cueillir), from Latin colligō (“to gather together”), past participle collectus, from com- (“together”) + legō (“to gather”); compare legend. Doublet of cull.

## Easily confused with
- **cop** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/coil-vs-cop)
- **con** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/coil-vs-con)
- **cow** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/coil-vs-cow)
- **cos** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/coil-vs-cos)
- **col** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/coil-vs-col)
- **cox** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/coil-vs-cox)
- **cor** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/coil-vs-cor)
- **coo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/coil-vs-coo)
- **CPI** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/coil-vs-cpi)
- **CSI** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/coil-vs-csi)
- **cot** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/coil-vs-cot)
- **coz** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/coil-vs-coz)
- **coy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/coil-vs-coy)
- **cpl** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/coil-vs-cpl)
- **Cov** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/coil-vs-cov)
- **CRI** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/coil-vs-cri)
- **Cui** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/coil-vs-cui)
- **CSL** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/coil-vs-csl)
- **come** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/coil-vs-come)
- **cost** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/coil-vs-cost)

## Common misspellings (4)
`ccoil`, `ciol`, `coill`, `ocil`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/coil