different between spacious vs comfortable

English

Etymology

From Old French spacios, from Latin spatiosus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?spe???s/
• Rhymes: -e???s

Adjective

spacious (comparative more spacious, superlative most spacious)

1. Having plenty of space; roomy.

   The apartment has a spacious bedroom.

2. Large in expanse.

   The cabin offers a lovely spacious view of the mountain meadows.

Translations

English

Alternative forms

• comfterble / comftorble (eye dialect)

Etymology

From Middle English comfortable, from Old French confortable, from conforter. See also comfort.

Pronunciation

• (General American, Canada)
  • enPR: k?mf't?bl, k?mf't?rbl, k?m'f?rt?bl, k?m'f?t?bl
  • IPA^(key): /?k?mf.t?.b?l/, /?k?mf.t??.b?l/, /?k?m.f??.t?.b?l/, /?k?m.f?.t?.b?l/
• (Received Pronunciation)
  • enPR: k?mf't?bl IPA^(key): /?k?mf.t?.b?l/, [?k???f.t???.b??]
  • enPR: k?m'f?t?bl IPA^(key): /?k?m.f?.t?.b?l/
• (General New Zealand)
  • enPR: k?mf't?bl
  • IPA^(key): /?k?mf.t?.b?l/, [?k???f.t?.bl?], [?k???.f??.b?]

Adjective

comfortable (comparative comfortabler or more comfortable, superlative comfortablest or most comfortable)

1. Providing physical comfort and ease; agreeable. [from 18^thc.]
2. In a state of comfort and content. [from 18^thc.]

   • A great bargain also had been […] the arm-chair in which Bunting now sat forward, staring into the dull, small fire. In fact, that arm-chair had been an extravagance of Mrs. Bunting. She had wanted her husband to be comfortable after the day's work was done, and she had paid thirty-seven shillings for the chair.

3. (obsolete) Comforting, providing comfort; consolatory. [14^th-19^thc.]
   • 1699, John Dryden, Tales from Chaucer

     a comfortable provision made for their subsistence

4. Amply sufficient, satisfactory. [from 17^thc.]
5. (obsolete) Strong; vigorous; valiant.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Wyclif to this entry?)
6. (obsolete) Serviceable; helpful.

Usage notes

Although the word comfortable looks (etymonically) like one of its senses could be synonymous with consolable, it does not have that sense; the absence of that sense is simply a lexical gap. In parallel, the same is true of comfortability and consolability, as well as uncomfortable and inconsolable.

Synonyms

• (providing/enjoying comfort): comforting, comfy, cozy, eathful, restful, snug, cushy
• (safely reliable): safe

Antonyms

• comfortless, uncomfortable

Derived terms

Related terms

• comforter
• discomfort

Translations

Noun

comfortable (plural comfortables)

1. (US) A stuffed or quilted coverlet for a bed; a comforter.

Middle English

Etymology

From Old French confortable, from conforter.

Adjective

comfortable

1. comfortable

Descendants

• English: comfortable