conforto

Forms

conforto m (plural conforti)^[1]

Etymology

It is from Italian confortare (“to strengthen; to console”), a deverbal noun formed without a suffix.^[2][3][4][5] The LEI classes it as a back-formation from the verb.^[6] The verb comes from Late Latin cōnfortō (“to strengthen”), formed with con- on a derivative of Latin fortis (“strong”).^[2][3][1] Nocentini treats the verb as a loan from Latin.^[3] The LEI notes that Meyer-Lübke also counted the Romance forms as learned, while DELI and the FEW see them as popular developments of a Christian Latin base.^[3][6]

The Latin verb lives on in French conforter, Catalan confortar, Spanish confortar, Portuguese confortar and the Surselvan cuffortar.^[6][3][7]

In the sense of material ease the noun copies the English word comfort.^{[2][8][9][10]} DELI dates that English sense to 1659.^[2] The GDLI dates its modern use to 1814 and the French word confort, taken from English, to 1816, and Prati and DEI bring the sense into Italian through French.^{[2][10][11][12]} Zingarelli, Devoto–Oli and Gabrielli give this sense a headword of its own, from English, dated 1824 by Zingarelli and 1881 by Devoto–Oli.^[13][8][14]

Earliest recorded meaning

The TLIO's first record is the Venetian Proverbia que dicuntur, of the last quarter of the 12th century.^[5] Its first sense is what makes someone stronger against outward trials, and the next what brings a person back to serenity after a misfortune.^[5] DELI's first record is Giacomino Pugliese in the 13th century, with the sense “consolation”: di voi non aggio conforto (“I have no comfort from you”).^[2][10]

Semantic evolution

Old Italian used the noun for strength given against hardship, for the action of divine grace, and above all for the passage to a happier state, in phrases such as dare conforto and prendere conforto.^[5] It could also mean courage, the opposite of fear, and exhortation or persuasion.^[15][9] Dante has it for the confirmation of an idea, a sense taken up again from Carducci (1865) on.^[6] In Florence about 1380 it also meant military reinforcements sent to an army in trouble.^[6][5]

Physical refreshment is recorded before 1363 in M. Villani.^[2] The religious comforts given to the dying, the conforti religiosi, are recorded in Old Venetian from the 13th century and in Italian from 1483.^[6] In the 20th century the army's viveri di conforto were extra rations such as liqueurs and chocolate.^[12][9]

The modern sense “comfort, ease” appeared in 1824, in a translation of W. Scott.^[2] Prati found it in Fanfani and Arlía in 1877, together with the English word comfort itself, used in Italian from 1892, and DEI notes that during the First World War the foreign form was used directly.^[11][12]

Timeline

• Late 12th century – The Venetian Proverbia que dicuntur has the noun.^[5]
• 13th century – Giacomino Pugliese uses it for consolation.^[2]
• Before 1321 – Dante uses it for the confirmation of an idea.^[6]
• Before 1363 – M. Villani uses it for physical refreshment.^[2]
• 1378–1385 – Marchionne uses it for military reinforcements.^[6]
• 1483 – Arienti uses it for the religious comforts of the dying.^[6]
• 1824 – The sense “ease, comfort” appears in a translation of W. Scott.^[2]
• 1865 – Carducci revives the sense “confirmation”.^[6]
• 1877 – Fanfani and Arlía record the sense “comfort, luxury”.^[11]

Meanings

Noun

1. comfort, consolation: the relief felt when someone helps in a time of grief or trouble.^{[4][8][16][13]}
2. A person or thing that gives comfort: il nipote è ormai la sua sola consolazione e il suo conforto.^[4][13][14]
3. support, backing: a conforto di, in support of (a thesis or opinion).^[4][8][17]
4. encouragement, exhortation.^[4][17]
5. Physical refreshment: generi di conforto, foods and drinks such as coffee, chocolate and liqueurs that are not strictly needed.^[4][8][9]
6. (chiefly plural) Comforts, amenities, ease: una villetta dotata di ogni conforto.^{[4][8][16][13]}

Word family

• confortino

Related words

• confortare
• sconforto
• confortevole
• forte
• Latin fortis
• French confort

Usage notes

I conforti religiosi or gli estremi conforti are the sacraments and prayers given to the dying.^[13][17][8] In psychology, zona di conforto is the comfort zone.^[8] For material comfort the English loan comfort is also used.^[4][16]

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Cortelazzo, Manlio; Zolli, Paolo (1999), Dizionario etimologico della lingua italiana, 2nd ed. by Manlio Cortelazzo and Michele A. Cortelazzo, Bologna: Zanichelli
3. ^ a b c d e Nocentini, Alberto; Parenti, Alessandro (2010), l'Etimologico: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Firenze: Le Monnier
4. ^ a b c d e f g h De Mauro, Tullio (ed.) (2003), Grande dizionario italiano dell'uso, CD-ROM version 2.0, Torino: UTET
5. ^ a b c d e f Tesoro della Lingua Italiana delle Origini (1997–), Opera del Vocabolario Italiano, CNR, Firenze; tlio.ovi.cnr.it
6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Pfister, Max; Schweickard, Wolfgang; Prifti, Elton (eds.) (1979–), Lessico Etimologico Italiano, Wiesbaden: Reichert; online at lei-digitale.it, p. 17, 9
7. ^ Körting, Gustav (1907), Lateinisch-romanisches Wörterbuch: etymologisches Wörterbuch der romanischen Hauptsprachen, 3rd ed., Paderborn: Schöningh
8. ^ a b c d e f g h Devoto, Giacomo; Oli, Gian Carlo; Serianni, Luca; Trifone, Maurizio (2026), Nuovo Devoto–Oli: il vocabolario dell'italiano contemporaneo, digital ed., Milano: Le Monnier
9. ^ a b c d Duro, Aldo (ed.) (1986–1994), Vocabolario della lingua italiana, Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana; online ed. treccani.it/vocabolario (2008 copy)
10. ^ a b c Battaglia, Salvatore; Bàrberi Squarotti, Giorgio (1961–2002), Grande dizionario della lingua italiana, 21 vols., Torino: UTET; digital ed. Accademia della Crusca, p. 3, 539
11. ^ a b c Prati, Angelico (1951), Vocabolario etimologico italiano, Milano: Garzanti, p. 320
12. ^ a b c Battisti, Carlo; Alessio, Giovanni (1950–1957), Dizionario etimologico italiano, 5 vols., Firenze: Barbèra (reprint 1975), p. 1058
13. ^ a b c d e Zingarelli, Nicola (2009), Lo Zingarelli 2010: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Bologna: Zanichelli
14. ^ a b Gabrielli, Aldo (2020), Grande dizionario italiano, digital ed., Milano: Hoepli
15. ^ Tommaseo, Niccolò; Bellini, Bernardo (1861–1879), Dizionario della lingua italiana, 4 vols., Torino: UTET
16. ^ a b c Sabatini, Francesco; Coletti, Vittorio; Manfredini, Manuela (2026), Dizionario italiano Sabatini Coletti, digital ed., Milano: Sansoni / Rizzoli Larousse
17. ^ a b c Vocabolario della lingua italiana Treccani (2011), Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana