Etymologically
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uncomfortable

Etymology and origin of the English word uncomfortable

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
early 15th century

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ʌnˈkʌmf.tə.bl̩/, /ʌnˈkʌm.fə.tə.bl̩/ (UK); /ʌnˈkʌm.fɚ.tə.bl̩/, /ʌnˈkʌmf.tɚ.bl̩/ (US)[1]

Etymology

It is formed from un- and comfortable.[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Causing bodily or mental discomfort: the early 15th century in Etymonline, late Middle English in SOED, 1592 in the OED.[2][3][4]

Semantic evolution

Incapable of being comforted, inconsolable, is from the 1590s into the 18th century, but rare outside Shakespeare.[2][4] Feeling discomfort, ill at ease, is from 1796.[2][4]

Timeline

  • early 15th century – causing discomfort.[2]
  • 1592 – inconsolable (obsolete).[4]
  • 1796 – ill at ease.[2][4]

Modern meaning

Adjective

  1. Causing physical discomfort.
  2. Feeling discomfort or unease; awkward.
  3. Causing unease: an uncomfortable silence.

Word family

  • uncomfortableness
  • uncomfortably

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  3. ^ a b Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
  4. ^ a b c d e Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
Cite this entry

“Uncomfortable.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/uncomfortable. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·