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cosy

[koh-zee]
adjective, co·si·er, co·si·est, noun, plural co·sies, verb, co·sied, co·sy·ing.
  1. cozy.
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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.
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noun, plural co·zies.
  1. a padded covering for a teapot, chocolate pot, etc., to retain the heat.
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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.
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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.
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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

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

  • 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
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noun plural -sies or US -zies
  1. a cover for keeping things warmegg cosy
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Derived Formscosily or US cozily, adverbcosiness or US coziness, noun

Word Origin

C18: from Scots, of unknown origin

cozy

adjective, noun -zier or -ziest or plural -zies
  1. the usual US spelling of cosy
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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.

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cozy

adj.

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

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper