Comfort: Ease of Body, and Relief of Mind
Comfort is a state of physical ease, and also the consolation given to someone in distress. The word originally meant to strengthen, not to soothe.
Comfort works on the body and on the mind. Its root is a surprise: Latin *confortare* meant to strengthen greatly, so comforting someone once meant making them stronger rather than making them feel better.
- Physical ease. *Travelling in comfort.*
- Consolation. *Words of comfort.*
- To console (verb). *She comforted the child.*
- Something that eases life. *The comforts of home.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | comfort | In great comfort. |
| Verb | comfort | He comforted her. |
| Adjective | comfortable | A comfortable chair. |
| Adverb | comfortably | They won comfortably. |
| Opposite | discomfort | Mild discomfort. |
How it is used in a sentence
- It is a comfort to know she arrived safely.Countable when it means one consoling fact.
- They won comfortably by three goals.Without difficulty.
- Cold comfort, given what it cost.Consolation that barely helps.
Comfort in phrases
- Comfort food — familiar dishes eaten for reassurance
- Comfort zone — the range of situations that feel safe
- Cold comfort — poor consolation
- Creature comforts — small physical luxuries
- Too close for comfort — near enough to be worrying
From Old French *conforter*, from Late Latin *confortare*, to strengthen — built on *fortis*, strong, the root of fort and fortitude. The shift from strengthening to soothing happened gradually in Middle English.
Comfortable — how many syllables?
British speakers usually say three, KUMF-tuh-bul. Americans often say four. Both are standard.
What is a comfort zone?
The set of situations a person handles without anxiety. Leaving it is the standard metaphor for taking on something difficult.