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definitions

cosy

[koh-zee]
adjective, co·si·er, co·si·est, noun, plural co·sies, verb, co·sied, co·sy·ing.
  1. cozy.

Origin of cosy

First recorded in 1700–10
Related formsco·si·ly, adverbco·si·ness, noun

cozy

or co·sy, co·zey, co·zie

[koh-zee]
adjective, co·zi·er, co·zi·est.
  1. snugly warm and comfortable: a cozy little house.
  2. convenient or beneficial, usually as a result of dishonesty or connivance: a very cozy agreement between competing firms.
  3. suggesting opportunistic or conspiratorial intimacy: a cozy relationship between lobbyists and some politicians.
  4. discreetly reticent or noncommittal: The administrators are remaining cozy about which policy they plan to adopt.
noun, plural co·zies.
  1. a padded covering for a teapot, chocolate pot, etc., to retain the heat.
verb (used with object), co·zied, co·zy·ing.
  1. to make more cozy (often followed by up): New curtains would cozy the room up a bit.
Verb Phrases
  1. cozy up (to), Informal.
    1. to move closer for comfort or affection: Come over to the fire and cozy up a bit.
    2. to try to become friendly or intimate in order to further one's own ends; attempt to ingratiate oneself: He's always cozying up to the boss.

Origin of cozy

1700–10; orig. Scots; perhaps < Scandinavian; compare Norwegian koselig cozy, kose seg to enjoy oneself
Related formsco·zi·ly, adverbco·zi·ness, noun

Synonyms for cozy

1. snug, comfy, homey, sheltered.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for cosy

Historical Examples of cosy

  • He spent his evenings when at Hawarden in a cosy corner of the library reading.

    The Grand Old Man

    Richard B. Cook

  • They could see him from the coach-roof fast asleep in his cosy bar.

    Barnaby Rudge

    Charles Dickens

  • And then the cheery sunshine of the cosy room began to fade away.

  • He returned to the cosy room of the hostelry to receive the bet he had won.

    Bygone Punishments

    William Andrews

  • On the right hand, there was a cosy little breakfast-room, just about the size of this we are in.

    Jack Hinton

    Charles James Lever

British Dictionary definitions for cosy

cosy

US cozy

adjective -sier or -siest or US -zier or -ziest
  1. warm and snug
  2. intimate; friendly
  3. convenient, esp for devious purposesa cosy deal
noun plural -sies or US -zies
  1. a cover for keeping things warmegg cosy
Derived Formscosily or US cozily, adverbcosiness or US coziness, noun

Word Origin for cosy

C18: from Scots, of unknown origin

cozy

adjective, noun -zier or -ziest or plural -zies
  1. the usual US spelling of cosy
Derived Formscozily, adverbcoziness, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for cosy
adj.

chiefly British form of cozy.

cozy

adj.

1709, colsie, Scottish dialect, perhaps of Scandinavian origin (cf. Norwegian kose seg "be cozy"). In Britain, usually cosy. Related: Cozily; coziness.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper