comforting
慰める
解説 Definition
comforting は comfort（慰める、安心させる）の現在分詞・形容詞形で、慰めになる、安心させるという意味です。人の言葉や態度、音や雰囲気などが不安を和らげるときに使います。
Comforting describes a person, action, sound, thought, or situation that reduces worry, sadness, or fear and helps someone feel calmer or emotionally supported. It often modifies reassuring words, voices, smiles, sights, or familiar experiences.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
comfort に -ing を付けた現在分詞・形容詞形で、語末の t を重ねず comforting となります。ここでは「慰めている」より「不安を和らげる、安心させる」という形容詞用法です。a comforting voice、a comforting smile、It is comforting to know ... の定型で覚え、comforted「安心した」と区別します。
Comforting is formed by adding -ing to the base verb comfort; no final consonant is doubled. As an adjective, it describes the source of relief: a comforting voice, smile, thought, or sight makes another person feel calmer. Contrast this with comforted, which describes the person who receives that relief and feels better. The pattern It was comforting to see or know something is also common. Remember the older core idea behind comfort as giving strength, which naturally developed into emotional support and reassurance.
例文
Her voice was comforting after the bad news.
悪い知らせの後、彼女の声は慰めになりました。
It was comforting to see a friend at the station.
駅で友人に会えて安心しました。
The nurse gave him a comforting smile before the test.
看護師は検査の前に、彼を安心させる笑顔を向けました。
comforting の類義語・関連語
派生語
紛らわしい語
comforting の語源・成り立ち Etymology
comforting は comfort に現在分詞・形容詞語尾 -ing が付いた形で、comfort は古フランス語 conforter、さらに後期ラテン語 confortare に由来します。com-「強く」+ fortis「強い」が核なので、もとは『慰める』より『力づける』で、関連語に comfort, fortify があります。
Comforting consists of comfort plus the participial and adjective-forming suffix -ing. Comfort entered English through Old French conforter, “to strengthen or console,” from Late Latin confortare. That Latin verb was built from con-, used intensively, and fortis, “strong.” The word’s historical core was therefore the act of strengthening someone; its familiar modern senses of consoling, easing distress, and providing emotional reassurance developed from that idea.
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