Coddled

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To undergo a form of nurturance characterized by excessive indulgence and protection, which may create dependency and limit self-sufficiency
2. Handled with overly gentle attention that may hinder independence
3. Provided with too much comfort and protection, potentially spoiling the individual

Etymology: Coddled is the past form of "coddle", and the verb's trail leads to a warm drink. The likely source is "caudle", a thin gruel of oatmeal or bread mixed with wine or ale, traditionally given to invalids and new mothers. Feeding someone caudle was a gentle, careful kind of care, and that tender sense seems to have carried over into the verb. The verb may be a close relative of British dialect "caddle", meaning to coax, spoil, or fondle, and of "cade", which carries a similar sense of pampering. The connection between these forms is probable rather than proven, but together they suggest that the idea of nursing someone with soft, cosseting attention came first, and the modern sense of over-protecting or spoiling grew naturally from it.

Synonyms: pampered, indulged, spoiled, nurtured, overprotected

Antonyms: neglected, abandoned, ignored, mistreated, harmed