From Dracula’s resting place to polished funeral-home displays, the vessels we associate with death have evolved, and so has the language. Take the words coffin and casket, for example.

People tend to use these interchangeably, but is there any difference between the two terms? Here’s what you should know.

For starters, what’s a coffin?

“A coffin is what you probably picture from old horror movies ― six sides, narrow at the head and feet, and shaped to follow the human form,” said Joshua Siegel, co-founder and president of the direct-to-consumer Titan Casket. “The lid is usually flat and fully removable.”

This traditionally hexagonal vessel is usually tapered at the head and feet and wider at the shoulders, thus requiring less material in those narrowed places. Think Dracula sleeping in his coffin.

The term “coffin” stems from Old French and English words referring to a basket, chest or even pie crust. And over time, the word has come to be used to describe any container for the deceased, regardless of shape or number of sides.

What’s a casket?

“A casket is rectangular with four sides, usually with a hinged lid that is often split for viewings, lined with padding and fabric, and designed to look more like a piece of fine furniture,” Siegel explained. “In the U.S., the casket is seen as more elegant and dignified, and that’s by design.”

The term casket can also describe a special box for holding jewellery and other valuables. Many believe the word originated from........

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