comfort
pronunciation
How to pronounce comfort in British English:
UK [ˈkʌmfət]
How to pronounce comfort in American English:
US [ˈkʌmfərt]
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- Noun:
- a state of being relaxed and feeling no pain
- a feeling of freedom from worry or disappointment
- the act of consoling; giving relief in affliction
- a freedom from financial difficulty that promotes a comfortable state
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- Verb:
- give moral or emotional strength to
- lessen pain or discomfort; alleviate
Word Origin
- comfort
- comfort: [13] Comfort did not always have its present ‘soft’ connotations of physical ease, contentment, and well-being. Etymologically it means ‘make someone stronger’, and its original English sense was ‘encourage, support’ (this survives in such contexts as ‘give aid and comfort to the enemy’). It comes via Old French conforter from late Latin confortāre ‘strengthen greatly’, a compound verb formed from the prefix com- ‘with’ used as an intensive and the adjective fortis ‘strong’ (source of English force, fort, and effort).The antonym discomfort is not etymologically related to discomfit, a word with which it is often confused.=> effort, force, fort
- comfort (v.)
- late 13c., conforten "to cheer up, console," from Old French conforter "to comfort, to solace; to help, strengthen," from Late Latin confortare "to strengthen much" (used in Vulgate), from Latin com-, intensive prefix (see com-), + fortis "strong" (see fort). Change of -n- to -m- began in English 14c. Related: Comforted; comforting.
- comfort (n.)
- c. 1200, "feeling of relief" (as still in to take comfort in something); also "source of alleviation or relief;" from Old French confort (see comfort (v.)). Replaced Old English frofor. Comforts (as opposed to necessities and luxuries) is from 1650s.
Antonym
Example
- 1. We 're better at seeking comfort .
- 2. And why do we need security and comfort ?
- 3. I found comfort in those slow meanders and those stuttering embers .
- 4. But that is small comfort .
- 5. What is your comfort zone ?