Solace

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈsɒl.ɪs/

Definitions

1. Comfort or consolation received during times of grief, disappointment, or distress
2. Emotional relief or comfort sought and found during periods of sorrow, sadness, or hardship
3. A source of reassurance, peace, or consolation that eases mental suffering or distress

Etymology: Solace arrived in English from Old French "solas," which itself came from the Latin "sōlācium," meaning consolation or relief. The Latin noun grew from "sōlārī," to comfort, a verb whose heart was the idea of soothing someone who is hurting. Along the way it picked up a sense of pleasure and recreation alongside its emotional meaning, so that the French word could mean diversion as well as consolation. English speakers used the word in both senses for centuries. The core meaning stayed close to what it is today: a comfort offered to someone in distress, whether by a friend, a sympathetic word, or a quiet place to rest. The word's deeper ancestry reaches back to a Proto-Indo-European root, reconstructed as "*selh₂-," associated with mercy and comfort, though that link is distant and mostly of interest to specialists.

Synonyms: comfort, consolation, relief, succor, alleviation

Antonyms: sorrow, distress, misery