Dictionary / comfort
comfort
- noun
- verb
- from Old French
Contentment, ease.
1 All current definitions
Every sense of “comfort” in current use, as recorded by Wiktionary. Older and obsolete senses are kept separately.
noun · etymology 1
- countableuncountableContentment, ease.
Sleep in comfort with our new mattress.
- countableuncountableSomething that offers comfort.
the comforts of home
- countableuncountableA consolation; something relieving suffering or worry.
We still have the spare tire? That's a comfort at least.
- countableuncountableA cause of relief or satisfaction.
The outcome of the peace negotiations in Moscow in 1940 was a heavy blow to the young nation, but in the same time a great comfort: at least the independency was preserved.
verb · etymology 2
- transitiveTo relieve the distress or suffering of; to provide comfort to.
Rob comforted Aaron because he was lost and very sad.
Older & obsolete senses (2)
- obsoleteTo make strong; to invigorate; to fortify; to corroborate.
- obsoleteTo assist or help; to aid.
Cross-check: WordNet senses (9)
- nouna state of being relaxed and feeling no pain — also: comfortableness
- nouna feeling of freedom from worry or disappointment
- nounthe act of consoling; giving relief in affliction — also: consolation, solace
- nouna freedom from financial difficulty that promotes a comfortable state — also: ease
- nounsatisfaction or physical well-being provided by a person or thing
- nounbedding made of two layers of cloth filled with stuffing and stitched together — also: quilt, comforter, puff
- nounassistance, such as that provided to an enemy or to a known criminal
- verbgive moral or emotional strength to — also: soothe, console, solace
- verblessen pain or discomfort; alleviate — also: ease
Synonyms: besoothe, cheer, comfort, console, solace, soothe
Antonyms: hurt, vex
2 History of the word
The etymology, the path the word travelled, and the words built from it.
Etymology 1 (noun)
The word’s journey, newest to oldest:
- English (today)comfort
- Middle Englishcomfort
- Old Frenchcunfort
- Old Frenchthe
From Middle English comfort, from Old French cunfort, confort, from the stem of Late Latin confortō. It replaced Old English frofor, Middle English frovre.
Etymology 2 (verb)
The word’s journey, newest to oldest:
- English (today)comfort
- Middle Englishcomforten
- Old Frenchconforter
- Late Latinconfortō “to strengthen greatly”
- Latincon- “together” + fortis “strong”
From Middle English comforten, from Old French conforter, from Late Latin confortō (“to strengthen greatly”), itself from Latin con- (“together”) + fortis (“strong”).
Derivatives — words built from “comfort”
Phrases & compounds
Related terms
Want to go deeper? See also “comfort” on Etymonline ↗
3 Original language
Where “comfort” came from before it was English.
Etymology 1 (noun)
Etymology 2 (verb)
4 Original meaning
What the word meant at the oldest point the record reaches.
Wiktionary’s etymology does not give a separate meaning for the earliest form of “comfort”, so we don’t state one. The historical dictionary entry below shows how the word was understood in 1913.
Historical meaning — Webster’s 1913
A historical record, labelled as such: some of these senses are dated or have since shifted.
comfort v. t. [F. conforter, fr. L. confortare to strengthen much; con- + fortis strong. See Fort.]
- To make strong; to invigorate; to fortify; to corroborate.
- To assist or help; to aid.
- To impart strength and hope to; to encourage; to relieve; to console; to cheer.
comfort n. [OF. confort, fr. conforter.]
- Assistance; relief; support.
- Encouragement; solace; consolation in trouble; also, that which affords consolation.
- A state of quiet enjoyment; freedom from pain, want, or anxiety; also, whatever contributes to such a condition.
- A wadded bedquilt; a comfortable.
5 Use it with confidence
Model sentences from the sources, matched to the meaning they show. Read each one aloud, then make your own in the game.
nounMeaning: Contentment, ease.
Sleep in comfort with our new mattress.
How often is the comfort of a whole family abridged by some trifling circumstance, that ought not to have made a visible impression!1850, T. S. Arthur, “A Rise in the Butter Market”, in Sketches of Life and Character, Philadelphia: J. W. Bradley, →OCLC, page 59:
nounMeaning: Something that offers comfort.
the comforts of home
Coordinate term: glimmer (2020s, neologism; a happy moment)
nounMeaning: A consolation; something relieving suffering or worry.
We still have the spare tire? That's a comfort at least.
nounMeaning: A cause of relief or satisfaction.
The outcome of the peace negotiations in Moscow in 1940 was a heavy blow to the young nation, but in the same time a great comfort: at least the independency was preserved.
verbMeaning: To relieve the distress or suffering of; to provide comfort to.
Rob comforted Aaron because he was lost and very sad.
Light, above all things, excelleth in comforting the spirits of men.1627 (indicated as 1626), Francis [Bacon], “(please specify the page, or |century=I to X)”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland]
nounMeaning: a state of being relaxed and feeling no pain
he is a man who enjoys his comfort
she longed for the comfortableness of her armchair
nounMeaning: a freedom from financial difficulty that promotes a comfortable state
he had all the material comforts of this world
nounMeaning: satisfaction or physical well-being provided by a person or thing
his friendship was a comfort
a padded chair was one of the room's few comforts
nounMeaning: assistance, such as that provided to an enemy or to a known criminal
it gave comfort to the enemy
Three steps to owning it
- Pick one meaning above and read its model sentence out loud.
- Say who or what the word is about in your own life, then build a sentence around that.
- Check it against the definition: would a careful reader understand exactly that meaning?
6 The mastery game
Play it here, or print it and do it with pen and paper. At the end you will know the meanings, history, origin and original meaning — and you will have used the word yourself.
Say it, then spell it
comfort
/ˈkʌm.fət/
Say the word out loud three times, slowly. Notice the stressed syllable. When you are ready, hide it and spell it from memory.
Activate Words · Word-mastery worksheet · Name: ______________________ Date: __________
comfort
/ˈkʌm.fət/ · noun, verb
Step 1 — Say it and write it
Say “comfort” out loud three times. Then cover the word and write it three times from memory.
Step 2 — Know every meaning
Read each definition. Then write it again in your own words.
Step 3 — Which meaning is it?
“Sleep in comfort with our new mattress.”
Circle the meaning used.
“the comforts of home”
Circle the meaning used.
“We still have the spare tire? That's a comfort at least.”
Circle the meaning used.
Step 4 — History and origin
Write the word’s journey back in time (each language and form):
Write three words built from “comfort” and what each means:
Step 5 — Original meaning
Read the etymology on the page. What does it tell you about the word’s earlier meaning?
How does that original meaning connect to the meanings today?
Step 6 — Use it yourself
☐ I can explain its meanings ☐ I know its history ☐ I know its original language ☐ I know its original meaning ☐ I can use it confidently
Answer key — comfort
Which meaning, sentence 1: C. Contentment, ease.
Which meaning, sentence 2: C. Something that offers comfort.
Which meaning, sentence 3: A. A consolation; something relieving suffering or worry.
Origin: C. Old French (Old French cunfort)
Journey: English comfort ← Middle English comfort ← Old French cunfort ← Old French the
Some derivatives: comfortability, comfortable, comfortative, comfortcore, comfort-eat, comfortfic, comfortful, comfortize
Etymology: From Middle English comfort, from Old French cunfort, confort, from the stem of Late Latin confortō. It replaced Old English frofor, Middle English frovre.
Sources: Wiktionary “comfort” (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/comfort#English), CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org; Princeton WordNet 3.0; Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913, public domain) via GCIDE. Worksheet from https://activatewords.com/w/comfort