casket

A casket is a box or chest used to store, transport, or display items. In North American English, the term commonly refers to the rectangular funerary container that holds a body for burial or cremation. In British English, coffin is the standard term for that container, while casket can refer to a smaller ornamental box used for jewelry or keepsakes.

Most caskets are rectangular with a hinged lid and are made from wood (such as oak, maple, or cherry), metal (including steel or copper), or other materials. They are often finished with decorative veneers or plating and may be lined with fabric such as satin or velour. Handles or straps are frequently included to aid with carrying, and some designs feature carved details, inlays, or other ornamentation.

In funeral practice, a casket may be chosen to reflect cultural, religious, or personal preferences and can be used for burial or for cremation. A cremation casket is a container suitable for use during the cremation process, after which the remains are typically placed in an urn. The term casket also describes small ornamental boxes used to store jewelry, keepsakes, or mementos—often marketed as keepsake or memory caskets.

Etymology traces the word to a sense of a box or case, with regional differences in usage shaping whether “casket” or “coffin” is used to describe the funerary container. See also coffin, urn, jewelry box.