Pillow

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈpɪl.əʊ/

Definitions

1. A soft cushion used to support the head during sleep or rest ; an object designed to provide comfort or medical support for different body parts
2. An item made of soft material to hold the head when lying down ; a device intended to offer comfort or positioning assistance for health reasons
3. A padded and often fluffy support for the head in bed ; a specially made cushion that aids comfort or therapeutic needs

Etymology: The pillow's name carries a clue about what it was originally stuffed with. It descends from Latin "pulvinus," meaning "cushion," which was itself linked to "pulvis," the word for "dust." The link is thought to reflect the filling of early cushions, which may have been materials that resembled fine powder or loose dust. The Latin word gave rise to two lines in English: "pulvinus" was taken directly into scholarly use, so the two words are doublets, while "pillow" arrived through the Old English "pyle" and "pylu." Old English speakers used "pylu" for a head support, and the Proto-West Germanic form behind it, "*pulwī," shows the word was already moving through Germanic speech before English took it up. Its relatives survive across the continent: German "Pfühl" names a big, soft pillow, and Dutch "peluw" describes a long, narrow one. The German and Dutch forms show that the Germanic side of the family kept a sense of bulk and softness.

Synonyms: cushion, bolster, headrest