Where does “comforting” come from?

Comforting comes from Old French conforter, from Latin confortare, composed of the prefix con- meaning "together" and fortis meaning "strong."

comforting (English): Giving comfort; present participle of comfort;...

Definitions

  1. Giving comfort; present participle of comfort;...

Ancestry of “comforting”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcomfortContentment, ease; Something that offers comfort;...
2Middle Englishconfort
3Old Frenchconfort
4Old Frenchconforterto reassure; to comfort
5Latinconfortōto make stronger, strengthen
6Latincōn-Used in compounds to indicate a being or bringing together of several objects
7Latincumwith, along with; at; -fold
8Old LatincomAlternative form of cum
9Proto-Italickomwith, along, at
10Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
11Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
12Middle Englishkyt
13Germankittputty certain kinds of cement used for fixing e.g. window panes
14Old High Germankuti
15Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
16Proto-Germanickweduzresin
17Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
18Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

Words derived from “comforting

Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū-Every word from Latin cōn-Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷet-