cistPronunciation: /sɪst/ (also kist)Definition of cist noun 1 Archaeology an ancient coffin or burial chamber made from stone or a hollowed tree. 2a box used in ancient Greece for sacred utensils. Origin: early 19th century: from Latin cista, from Greek kistē 'box'; sense 1 via Welshcist in other Oxford dictionaries Definition of cist in the US English dictionary