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Definition of "cofferdam" [cof•fer•dam]

  • A temporary watertight enclosure that is pumped dry to expose the bottom of a body of water so that construction, as of piers, may be undertaken. (noun)
  • A watertight chamber attached to the side of a ship to facilitate repairs below the water line. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "cofferdam" in a sentence
  • "With what had been thought to be the best immediate solution to contain the leak, a 78-ton steel and concrete box known as a cofferdam, resting useless on the sea floor, BP said the next best way to contain the oil could be in the form of a smaller containment dome."
  • "The plan is to cover the leak in the structure known as a cofferdam, and funnel the oil to the surface."
  • "The reason for the cofferdam was the release of extra water by the U.S."