entry
comfortable
/ˈkʌmftərbəl/giving physical or mental ease
From O.French / Anglo-French comfort (strength).
from Old French confortable
from Middle English comfortable
from Middle English comfortable
from Middle English comfortable
from Middle English comfortable
Word Ancestry
from Old French confortable
from Middle English comfortable
from Middle English comfortable
from Middle English comfortable
from Middle English comfortable
This word began life with more muscle than coziness. Its ancestor in Late Latin, confortare, meant “to strengthen much,” and the idea was less about feather pillows than about bolstering someone who was hurting or afraid. Old French turned that into conforter, and English borrowed the family twice: first for the verb comfort, then for comfortable, the adjective that says something can actually provide that soothing state. That same comfort- world still keeps odd cousins like comforter, console, and consolation, while the later physical sense—beds, chairs, shoes—only really settles in during the 1700s. So when you call a chair comfortable, you’re not just praising its padding; you’re giving it a tiny medal for emotional rescue.
The Story
This word began life with more muscle than coziness. Its ancestor in Late Latin, confortare, meant “to strengthen much,” and the idea was less about feather pillows than about bolstering someone who was hurting or afraid. Old French turned that into conforter, and English borrowed the family twice: first for the verb comfort, then for comfortable, the adjective that says something can actually provide that soothing state. That same comfort- world still keeps odd cousins like comforter, console, and consolation, while the later physical sense—beds, chairs, shoes—only really settles in during the 1700s. So when you call a chair comfortable, you’re not just praising its padding; you’re giving it a tiny medal for emotional rescue.
Modern Usage
used to describe someone who has gained weight or become complacent; also, more generally, someone acting relaxed or too settled
Popularized by: informal online and colloquial speech; supported by Urban Dictionary-style usage
Notable References
- Urban Dictionary entries for 'comfortable'
Kin & Kindred
From 'comfort'·strength, solace, relief
Derived Terms
English words from this root
From '-able'·capable of, fit to be
Derived Terms
English words from this root
Sources
Etymonline
Free Dictionary
Urban Dictionary