# coop

/ˈkup/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/coop
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. bird cage

noun · CEFR B2

a small cage or building where chickens or other birds are kept.

For teachers: a small enclosure or pen for poultry or other small animals.

- Every morning, the farmer opens the coop to let the chickens out into the field.
- The wooden coop was reinforced with wire mesh to protect the hens from foxes during the night.

### 2. prison

noun · CEFR C1 · Slang · Informal

a slang word for a prison or a very small, uncomfortable room.

For teachers: a slang term for a place of confinement, such as a jail or a cramped room.

- He spent two nights in the coop before the lawyer arrived to help him.
- After years of living in a spacious house, he felt like he was stuck in a coop in that tiny city apartment.

### 3. co-operative

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

a business or shop owned and run by its members.

For teachers: a common informal clipping of 'co-operative', referring to a member-owned organisation or housing complex.

- We buy all our fresh vegetables from the local food coop.
- The residents of the housing coop voted unanimously to renovate the shared garden space this spring.

### 4. to confine

verb · CEFR B2

to keep a person or animal in a small space for a long time.

For teachers: to confine or shut up in a restricted space; most frequently encountered in the phrasal verb 'coop up'.

- The children were cooped up inside all day because of the heavy rain.
- Being cooped up in a small office for ten hours a day began to affect his mental well-being.

Usage: Usually used in the passive voice as 'be cooped up'.

## Examples

- The chickens sleep in the coop at night.
- She built a sturdy wooden coop in the garden to keep the hens safe from foxes.
- The rustic coop, constructed from reclaimed timber and weathered shingles, stood as a testament to the farmer's dedication to sustainable and humane animal husbandry.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.