What is a French coffee press and how does it work?

A French coffee press is a device used to brew coffee by steeping coarsely ground coffee beans in hot water. It consists of a cylindrical glass or metal container with a plunger and a mesh filter. To use it, you add coffee grounds to the container, pour hot water over them, let it steep for a few minutes, and then press the plunger down to separate the grounds from the brewed coffee.