gemütlich

American  

[guh-moot-lik, -moot-, guh-myt-likh] / gəˈmut lɪk, -ˈmʊt-, gəˈmüt lɪx /

Or gemuetlich

adjective

1. comfortable and pleasant; cozy.

   Synonyms:

   pleasant, comfortable, agreeable

2. friendly; easygoing.

   Synonyms:

   relaxed, approachable, affable, amiable

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gemütlich British  

/ ɡəˈmyːtlɪç /

adjective

1. having a feeling or atmosphere of warmth and friendliness; cosy

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Etymology

Origin of gemütlich

First recorded in 1850–55; from German; late Middle High German gemüetlich, equivalent to gemüet(e) ( German Gemüt ) “mind, mentality” (collective derivative of mut, Old High German muot “courage, spirit”; see mood ¹) + -lich -ly

Explanation

Gemutlich refers to a feeling of comfort, warmth, and well-being. Think of a warm, cozy living room with a blanket on the couch or a dinner party with good friends. Gemutlich is from the German word Gemüt, which means "feelings, mind, heart, or soul." The -lich part is an adjective ending similar to English -ly as in friendly. Something that is gemutlich is good for the heart. It makes you feel content and comfortable inside, like you belong in this place. You can also describe a person or their personality this way, meaning they're friendly, cheerful, or easy to get along with.

Example Sentences

It is gemütlich in German and gezelligheid in Dutch; in English, you might say “smelly candles”.

From The Guardian • Mar. 2, 2020

As one report from Germany put it this week, the house Davidson designed for them is a gemütlich, or comfortably agreeable, spin on the modern.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 15, 2016

Every summer, New York’s Public Theatre puts on a fund-raising event in Central Park that is modest, stellar, and gemütlich.

From The New Yorker • Jan. 18, 2015

Germany, Austria, and Switzerland have gemütlich, which translates to “comfortably homey.”

From Time • Jan. 13, 2015

And for the weekly Punch;—so gemütlich and bien pensant and, often, very, very funny, with a funniness that the Continental papers never give one; their jests are never the jests of the bien pensant.

From Tante by Sedgwick, Anne Douglas