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cosset

verb, noun — 5 senses

cosset

verb

UK /ˈkɒsɪt/ · US /ˈkɑsɪt/

Etymology Perhaps from Middle English cotsete, from Old English cotsǣta (“cottager”), from cot (“cottage”) (Modern English cot (“cottage”) (archaic)) + -sǣta (“-sitter”); compare coscet. Compare German Hauslamm (literally “house lamb”), Italian casiccio.

1

To treat like a pet; to overly indulge.

  • The car cossets its occupants in comfort.
2

To fondle; to touch or stroke lovingly.

  • The foam cossets your skin.
3

Figuratively To benefit; to make life easy for.

  • An independent oversight body is just setting up, but at full strength it will have a core team of just five. This is a state of affairs that cossets and enriches bailiffs at the expense of families who’ve fallen into debt.2023 August 17, Aditya Chakrabortty, “Can’t pay and they really do take it away: what happens when the bailiffs come knocking”, in The Guardian:
Synonyms
coddle, posset, caress, pet
Derived terms
cosseted, cosseter, cosseting

cosset

noun

Etymology Perhaps from Middle English cotsete, from Old English cotsǣta (“cottager”), from cot (“cottage”) (Modern English cot (“cottage”) (archaic)) + -sǣta (“-sitter”); compare coscet. Compare German Hauslamm (literally “house lamb”), Italian casiccio.

1

A pet, usually a pet lamb.

2

Someone indulged or cosseted.

Related terms
cub, kid, fawn, kitten

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.

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