noun
coil
koyl
noun
1
Something wound into a spiral or helix shape.
"He wound the garden hose into a neat coil."
"The electrician replaced the coil of copper wire."
2
A T-shaped or hormonal intrauterine device used for contraception.
"She had the coil fitted last year."
verb
1
To wind something into rings or loops.
"She coiled the rope and hung it on the hook."
How to Use Coil
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA spiral shape, or the act of winding something into one — also the everyday term for a type of IUD contraceptive.
Common pairings
coil of rope
coil a hose
fit a coil
Word Forms
coiled past tense, coils plural, coils plural, Coils plural, coils singular
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He wound the garden hose into a neat _____.
Etymology
From Old French coillir, "to gather or pick," ultimately from Latin colligere, "to collect" — the same root that gives us "collect" and "cull."