Coil Meaning
/kɔɪl/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounSomething wound in the form of a helix or spiral.
nounAny intrauterine device for contraception (originally coil-shaped).
Sentence Examples
It's a large ring of magnetic coil.
Coil whine may sometimes be annoying, but it's usually harmless.
CEFR Practice Quiz
She carefully unwound the metal ____ to use it for the sculpture.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
I used a long ____ of heavy rope to securely tie the boat to the wooden dock.
Word Origin & History
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.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"The wild grapevines that twisted their coils or tendrils from tree to tree."
— 1819 June 23 – 1820 September 13, Geoffrey Crayon [pseudonym; Washington Irving], “(please specify the title)”, in The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., New York, N.Y.: […] C[ornelius] S. Van Winkle, […], →OCLC:
"‘I’m gonna go on the pill and get fitted for a coil. I don’t wanna be pregnant. Ever. Again!’"
— 2020, Paul Mendez, Rainbow Milk, Dialogue Books (2021), page 293:
"And now, finally, the contraceptive burden would fall on me. After Hayley’s years of toil with a coil, and the pain of childbirth, I was due a little discomfort."
— 2026 May 11, Tim Burrows, “My first thought after having a vasectomy: why aren’t more British men having them?”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
"What trifling coil do we mortals keep;
Wake, eat, and drink, evacuate, and sleep."
— a. 1722, Matthew Prior, “Human Life”, in H. Bunker Wright, Monroe K. Spears, editors, The Literary Works of Matthew Prior, Second edition, volume I, Oxford: Clarendon Press, published 1971, page 687:
"If the windes rage, doth not the Sea wax mad, / Threatning the welkin with his big-swolne face? / And wilt thou haue a reason for this coile?"
— c. 1588–1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Lamentable Tragedy of Titus Andronicus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, (please specify the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals)]:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
She carefully unwound the metal ____ to use it for the sculpture.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
I used a long ____ of heavy rope to securely tie the boat to the wooden dock.