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quoin also coign or coin

(koin, kwoin)

a. An exterior angle of a wall or other piece of masonry.

b. Any of the stones used in forming such an angle, often being of large size and dressed or arranged so as to form a decorative contrast with the adjoining walls.

c. A piece of wood or other material used as trim on the corner of a building in imitation of such a stone.

2. A keystone.

3. Printing A wedge-shaped block used to lock type in a chase.

4. A wedge used to raise the level of a gun.

tr.v. quoined, quoin·ing, quoins also coigned or coign·ing or coigns or coined or coin·ing or coins

To provide, secure, or raise with a quoin or quoins.

[Variant of COIN.]

(click for a larger image)

quoin

smooth-cut quoins

coin

(koin)

1. A small piece of metal, usually flat and circular, authorized by a government for use as money.

2. Metal money considered as a whole.

3. A flat circular piece or object felt to resemble metal money: a pizza topped with coins of pepperoni.

4. A mode of expression considered standard: Two-word verbs are valid linguistic coin in the 20th century.

5. Variant of quoin.

tr.v. coined, coin·ing, coins

1. To make (pieces of money) from metal; mint or strike: coined silver dollars.

2. To make pieces of money from (metal): coin gold.

3. To devise (a new word or phrase).

adj.

Requiring one or more pieces of metal money for operation: a coin washing machine.

Idiom:

the other side of the coin

One of two differing or opposing views or sides.

[Middle English, from Old French, die for stamping coins, wedge, from Latin cuneus, wedge.]

coina·ble adj.

coiner n.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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