cosset
Americanverb (used with object)
noun
-
a lamb brought up without its dam; pet lamb.
-
any pet.
verb
noun
Other Word Forms
- uncosseted adjective
Etymology
Origin of cosset
First recorded in 1570–80; Middle English; derivative verb use of the noun cosset “a lamb raised as a pet”; of uncertain etymology, but possibly Middle English cot-sēte “cottage dweller, cottager,” from Old English cot- sǣta
Explanation
To cosset is to pamper or spoil. Your mom might cosset her beloved lap dog, feeding him homemade meals and singing him to sleep. If your parents used to cosset you when you were little, they may have protected you from injury and indulged your every whim. Your temptation might be to cosset small children or elderly relatives, pampering them and shielding them from difficulty. In the 17th century, cosset had the additional sense of "fondle and caress," as you might cuddle a baby or a puppy. Earlier, the word was a noun meaning "a lamb raised as a pet."
Vocabulary lists containing cosset
"The Wife of Bath's Tale," Vocabulary from the narrative poem
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"The Wife of Bath's Tale" by Geoffrey Chaucer
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Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Mr. Gilfix drew on his own experience to cosset Ms. Golosker, transforming her predicament into something very romantic, she said, as both were attuned to the fragility of life.
From New York Times • May 13, 2022
She wonders if there was something in Farquharson, by contrast, that brought out “the maternal in women, our tendency to cosset, to infantilise.”
From The New Yorker • Dec. 4, 2016
Supporters of scooters say they offer something extremely valuable - freedom, countering the perceived tendency of many risk-averse parents to cosset their children indoors.
From BBC • Jan. 21, 2015
It is clear from the excellent condition of all our homes that we cosset them.
From The Guardian • May 25, 2012
Come, my cosset, and I will read you what Humility hath to tell us of her voyage, of home, and all else!
From A Pilgrim Maid A Story of Plymouth Colony in 1620 by Taggart, Marion Ames
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
