Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “comfortable” come from?

Comfortable comes from Old French confortable, derived from Old French conforter, from Latin confortare, formed from Latin con- meaning "together" and fortis meaning "strong."

comfortable (English): Providing physical comfort and ease; agreeable;...

Definitions

  1. Providing physical comfort and ease; agreeable;...

Ancestry of “comfortable”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchconfortable—
2Old Frenchconforterto reassure; to comfort
3Latinconfortō—
4Latincōn-—
5Latincumwith, along with; at; -fold
6Old LatincomAlternative form of cum
7Proto-Italickomwith, along, at
8Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
9Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
10Middle Englishkyt—
11Germankitt—
12Old High Germankuti—
13Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
14Proto-Germanickweduzresin
15Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
16Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

Words derived from “comfortable”

  • uncomfortable
  • comfortably
  • uncomfortably
  • comfy
  • comfortableness
  • uncomfortableness
  • uncomfy
  • comfily
  • comfiness
  • supercomfortable
  • semicomfortable
  • comfies
  • komfortabel
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū- →