cushion

B1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈkʉʃən/ UK /ˈkʊʃən/ See IPA manual

Freq #12779

Meanings

1

noun
A soft bag filled with material, used to sit or lie on for comfort.

She put a cushion behind her back on the sofa.
2

verb
To reduce the force of an impact, blow, or shock.

The thick grass cushioned her fall.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 verb · to reduce the force of an... buffer pad

Word family

Forms cushionedcushioningcushions

Derived forms cushion-cosycushion-dancecushion-smitercushionlesscushionlikecushionypin-cushionpincushionrecushiont-cushionthump-cushion

Related forms pillow squab

Etymology

From Middle English quysshyn, from later Old French coissin (modern coussin), from Vulgar Latin *coxīnus (“seat pad”), derived from Latin coxa (“hip, thigh”) (with the suffix possibly after Latin pulvīnus (“pillow”)), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *koḱs- (“joint, limb”).

quysshyn Middle English coissin Old French *coxīnus la-vul coxa Latin *koḱs- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

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# cushion

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈkʉʃən/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈkʊʃən/
**Frequency rank:** 12779

## Meanings
1. A soft bag filled with material, used to sit or lie on for comfort.
2. To reduce the force of an impact, blow, or shock.

## Examples
- She put a cushion behind her back on the sofa.
- The thick grass cushioned her fall.

## Derived Forms
- cushion-cosy
- cushion-dance
- cushion-smiter
- cushionless
- cushionlike
- cushiony
- pin-cushion
- pincushion
- recushion
- t-cushion
- thump-cushion

## Related Forms
- pillow
- squab

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: quysshyn
- Root: coissin
- Root: *coxīnus
- Root: coxa
- Root: *koḱs-

## Etymology
From Middle English quysshyn, from later Old French coissin (modern coussin), from Vulgar Latin *coxīnus (“seat pad”), derived from Latin coxa (“hip, thigh”) (with the suffix possibly after Latin pulvīnus (“pillow”)), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *koḱs- (“joint, limb”).

## AI Etymology
cushion comes from Middle English quysshyn, from later Old French coissin (modern coussin), from Vulgar Latin *coxīnus (“seat pad”), derived from Latin coxa (“hip, thigh”) (with the suffix possibly after Latin pulvīnus (“pillow”)), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *koḱs- (“joint, limb”). The historical chain includes Middle English quysshyn, Old French coissin, la-vul *coxīnus, Latin coxa, Proto-Indo-European *koḱs-. Current senses include A soft bag filled with material, used to sit or lie on for comfort and to reduce the force of an impact, blow, or shock. English relatives and later formations include cushion-cosy, cushion-dance, cushion-smiter, pillow, squab.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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cushion

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