Word
casket
Phoneticscas·ket
US/ˈkæskət/
UK/kˈɑːskɪt/
Definition
n. a small, decorative box used for keeping valuable items like jewelry or letters. In American English, it is also a common word for a coffin used at a funeral.
n. a small chest or box, often of fine workmanship, for holding jewels, letters, or other valuables. In North American usage, it serves as the standard term for a coffin.
Examples
“She kept her grandmother's gold ring in a small velvet casket.”
“The museum display featured an ornate silver casket used by the queen to store her private correspondence.”
Examples
simple
“She kept her grandmother's gold ring in a small velvet casket.”
contextual
“The museum display featured an ornate silver casket used by the queen to store her private correspondence.”
Usage
In British English, the 'jewelry box' sense remains primary; in American English, it almost exclusively refers to a coffin.
Real-World Examples
“Family members walk past caskets carrying their loved ones during a memorial service for the victims of the boat accident in Kariba, Zimbabwe, 13 August 2026.” “The boy’s smaller casket was placed to the side at the same temple, surrounded by white flowers.” Etymology
Probably from Norman cassette. Possibly reformed by analogy with cask, thus analyzable as cask + -et. Doublet of cassette.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/casket