Comforter Meaning
/ˈkʌmfətə/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA person who comforts someone who is suffering.
nounA padded cover for a bed, duvet, continental quilt.
Sentence Examples
Sami's body was wrapped up in a comforter.
My comforter was soaked in sweat.
CEFR Practice Quiz
I pulled the thick woolen ____ up to my chin to stay warm.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
She bought a warm ____ to put on her bed for winter.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English comfortour et al, from Anglo-Norman confortour, from Old French conforter. See comfort.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Let no comforter delight mine ear / But such a one whose wrongs do suit with mine."
— 1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “Much Adoe about Nothing”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i]:
"The comforters, relaxed in sarongs after the day's work, kicked off their sandals at the top of Syed Omar's steps and made their obeisances to the wives, to the elder children, and to the gloomy head of the house."
— 1959, Anthony Burgess, Beds in the East (The Malayan Trilogy), published 1972, page 511:
"There are 157 men with AIDS/ARC in the small unit where I am housed. Many of us are abandoned by friends, family, lovers and spiritual comforters. And this is why I am reaching out to you."
— 1988 April 9, Kevin Blackburn, “Penpals Needed for Prisoners with AIDS”, in Gay Community News, page 5:
"A vast quilt or comforter was heaped beside the bed, in a broad puddle of congealed blood, thick and shiny on the patterned rugs."
— 1984, William Gibson, Neuromancer (Sprawl; book 1), New York, N.Y.: Ace Books, →ISBN, page 185:
"[…] round his neck he wore a flaming red worsted comforter, whereof the straggling ends peeped out beneath his threadbare Newmarket coat, which was very tight and buttoned all the way up."
— 1838 March – 1839 October, Charles Dickens, “chapter 29”, in The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1839, →OCLC:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
I pulled the thick woolen ____ up to my chin to stay warm.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
She bought a warm ____ to put on her bed for winter.