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coffer

Archaic Terms
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A strongbox, chest, or secure container for storing valuables, money, or treasures; often made of iron or wood and bound with metal for protection.

Detailed Definition
The “coffer” symbolizes wealth, secrecy, or legacy—often opened to reveal fortune or betrayal. In narrative poetry, it holds letters, gold, or relics that drive plot. Its solidity contrasts with human transience, making it a vessel for memory or greed. Poets reference it in domestic or mercantile scenes, grounding abstract themes of value, trust, or inheritance in tangible object.
Example
Example in poetry:
"He counted his gold in a secret coffer," in a miser’s tale; In Spenser: "The coffer of her heart held love alone"; "The coffer of memory holds both joy and pain," a reflective lyric; Shakespeare’s caskets in Merchant of Venice are ornate coffers; "Lock thy secrets in a coffer of silence"; The pirate’s coffer gleamed with stolen gems.
Additional Notes
“Coffer” implies secure storage of treasure, secrets, or even bodies; in allegorical poetry, the heart or mind may be a “coffer” of love or memory, and broken coffers symbolize betrayal, loss, or revelation of hidden truths.
Other Meanings of “coffer”
Also Known As
chest box treasury kist
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