Comfort - what is it? Meaning of the word

Thanks to the ubiquitous advertising that hit the domestic TV viewer in the early nineties, everyone became well aware that comfort is of great importance for a person's full life. However, what exactly does this noun mean, and is it really an indispensable attribute of happiness? Let's learn more about this word and its origin.

The basic lexical meaning of the word "comfort"

In modern linguistics, this term is interpreted as the arrangement of human life in the everyday sense. Moreover, not only the conditions of life, but also studies, work, travel, as well as the enjoyment of all public goods, can be comfortable.

Psychological comfort

The meaning of the described word extends not only to the material spheres, but also to the spiritual state of every representative of human society.

Unlike the material, psychological comfort depends entirely on the individual's ability to enjoy his life. Often, a person has everything to be happy: a loving family, well-paid interesting work, respect in society and a cozy house. However, with this abundance, he feels deeply unhappy. And his friend, living in a village without gas and running water, enjoys life and considers himself incredibly happy.

These and similar examples show that material comfort is a phenomenon that does not necessarily give immediate and psychological satisfaction.

As a rule, if a person feels moral discomfort, more integral nature can independently understand its causes. But others have to resort to outside help, in order to find peace of mind and learn to enjoy life. Such helpers can be friends and relatives, a good psychologist, a priest or his eastern counterpart - a guru, as well as prayer and meditation.

Trying to build spiritual comfort, one should not rush to extremes and renounce all material benefits, as some individual eastern practices teach. It is worth remembering that real psychological comfort is achieved through moderation and balance. After all, no matter how beautiful the summer rain, most people still prefer to watch it, sitting in a warm cozy house.

Comfort zone: good or evil?

In modern psychology, such a notion as the "comfort zone" is also common. This phrase is called the area of the personality's life space, in which it feels as comfortable and peaceful as possible.

The state of psychological balance in the comfort zone, as a rule, is achieved due to stability and confidence in one's own security and tomorrow. Such an area for an individual can be a settled way of life, profitable work, a huge bank account and the like.

Although, on the one hand, staying in a comfort zone has a beneficial effect on a person's peace of mind, helping her to find peace and even sometimes happiness, but this state can be disastrous.

The fact is that, being confident in the future and content with today, a person relaxes and loses the incentive for further development. Why, because he has already achieved everything? As an employee, such an individual is less diligent, as a spouse - less attentive, etc. It is for this reason that many psychologists believe that total comfort is a pernicious phenomenon.

Therefore, people who are in the comfort zone, experts advise gradually gradually expand its limits. This will not only acquire new life experience, but also expand its horizons and make new discoveries.

In this case, all the same, one must be afraid of extremes and observe moderation, because excessively sharp changes in life can not always go to its benefit. Although there were times when it was the escape from the comfort zone that helped a person find his vocation.

The history of the appearance of this noun in Russian

Learning what the word "comfort" means, it's worth considering its origins. For the first time this term appeared in Latin. He looked like this - confortare and was translated using the verb "strengthen."

After the fall of the Roman Empire, this word migrated to most European languages, where it has survived to this day. Moreover, it has undergone a minimal transformation for all ages. So, in French it began to be written confort, in German - Komfort, and in English - comfort.

In the Russian language, the appearance of the noun "comfort" is the 19th century. By the way, through the mediation of Russian this word got into two other East Slavic languages: Ukrainian (comfort) and Belarusian (camfort).

From what exactly European language this name came to Russian - linguists are still not exactly sure. There are two versions: either from English (comfort), or from German (Komfort). But definitely not from French, because in this language it is written and pronounced not through the letter "m", but through "n".

As for the features of writing, "comfort" is a dictionary word, so you just need to remember it.

Morphemic analysis of this noun is very simple. The fact is that its basis and root coincide - "comfort", and the ending in the nominative and accusative cases is zero.

Synonyms

Having considered the meaning and origin of the word "comfort" and the concepts close to it, it is worthwhile to find out what analogies can get close to it. The most famous and complete synonyms for the noun "comfort" are the words "cosiness", "convenience", "comfortableness", "harmony".

In some cases, instead of this term, you can use the words: "prosperity", "prosperity", "hedonism", "contentment" or even "nirvana."

Antonyms

As for the selection of antonyms, they are much less than synonyms. Thus, as words with diametrically opposite meaning, the terms "discomfort" and "inconvenience" are acceptable.

Having considered the meaning of the word "comfort", one can come to the conclusion that this concept is rather important in a person's life and to deny its necessity not only in the psychological, but also in the material sense, will only be a fool or a prude. However, trying to make your life comfortable, do not forget that it really will be, if it is properly placed priorities.