What is the difference between Coffin and Casket?

A coffin is a box created from the wood used to hold dead bodies since around the 16th century. The coffin's shape is six sides, which allows a dead body to fit inside of it. The shape is such that it is wider at the top to allow for the shoulders to fit in while it is slender at the bottom so that the feet are resting nicely inside of it.

The shape allows for saving wood and expense on the container. On the other hand, a casket is a container that has customarily been employed to keep jewelry and documents that have a certain significance to the person. Sometime around the 19th century, the word took on a whole new meaning. It became synonymous with the word coffin, except the casket is a four-sided box with a small lid on top for the express purpose of viewing the body.

Many people will not be able to differentiate between the terms Coffin and Casket because they are both boxes where dead bodies are placed for burial. One of the differences between coffin and casket is their shape. A coffin is a rectangular closed box used to contain the body of a dead person. Although coffins are rectangular, they are built to assume the shape of the body. That is why coffins are usually narrower at the head and leg area, but they are a little bit bulged in the mid-area of the body. Coffins are made with different kinds of materials such as metal, glass, wood, etc. A casket, on the other hand, has a different shape entirely; its corners are always rounded. Some caskets are made specially to have an air-tight seal and a textile lining. However, it is important to note that a casket can also mean a little box used to keep jewelry. Caskets are expensive than coffins.

When you say coffin, this is a container where dead bodies are normally placed wherein the lid is removable. The casket will have a different shape from the coffin. The casket will be rectangular, and the lid will be hinged instead of being removable. The coffin is normally used for viewing, but there are different types that have become available over the years. A lot of coffins are cheaper as compared to caskets because the materials that are used are different. For Americans, caskets are more popular because they normally use this for funerals. Coffins are more popular in other countries. Most people think that coffins and caskets are the same, but their differences will help people distinguish one from the other.