Skip to the word

Added 9 October 2026

consolation

/ˌkɑn.səˈleɪ.ʃən/ noun

In Latin: cōnsōlātiō, sōlācium Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about consolation at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

The comfort you feel when consoled in times of disappointment.
second place was no consolation to him
The act of consoling; giving relief in affliction.
his presence was a consolation to her

Origin

From Old French consolacion (French consolatio), from Latin cōnsōlātiō, from the deponent verb cōnsōlor (“I console, encourage”) with the -tiō suffix, while cōnsōlor comprises the intensifying prefix con- with the deponent verb sōlor (“I comfort, console”). Equivalent to console + -ation. Doublet of consolatio.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Back to today's word