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coffee urn

coffee urn

1 3.1
A large metal container that makes and keeps coffee hot for many people
  • noun
  • /ˈkɔːfi ɜrn/
translation icon : urnas de café
  • There was a meeting going on, and I went in and found a good vantage point beside the coffee urn.
  • gallon coffee urn
  • a large coffee urn
  • coffee urn and cup

Examples

  • She set the coffee urn down and turned to look at me.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • When he caught her looking at him, he turned away immediately and went over to the coffee urn, where he refilled his cup.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • Buster goes to the coffee urn behind the counter and helps himself.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • On a table near the door were a large coffee urn and Styrofoam cups.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • He glanced at the coffee urn.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • A fellow with a close-cropped red beard was holding court by the coffee urn, entertaining two other staffers.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • Socorro enters the living room with a tray holding a coffee urn and cup, closely tailed by Duke.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • Red arrives at a truck with a 10-gallon coffee urn roped to the tailgate.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • He filled two mugs from the mismatched collection beside the coffee urn and handed one to his guest.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • At the party, everyone gathered around the coffee urn to grab a warm cup of coffee.

Synonyms

urn
vscoffee urn
7 2.9

A large metal container with a tap for serving hot drinks

focuses on brewing and keeping hot drinks warm for several people
coffeepot
vscoffee urn
5 1.0

A tall container with a spout for making and serving coffee

is larger and keeps hot drinks warm for serving many people
percolator
vscoffee urn
4 5.6

A coffee pot where boiling water rises through a tube and flows through ground coffee

does not use that water tube method and stores large hot quantities

How Big

coffee urn
1 3.1

Surface Forms

coffee urn singular
coffee urns plural

Morphology

coffee + urn

The meaning is directly and transparently derived from combining 'coffee' (the beverage) with 'urn' (a large spigot-equipped container): a container for serving/keeping coffee hot. This noun–noun composition follows a common and cross-linguistically familiar pattern, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Coffee urn comes from the old word urn, which meant a large pot for hot drinks. Picture a tall metal pot that keeps coffee warm for many people, and so coffee urn now means a big container used to brew and serve coffee at events.