Cocooning
/kəˈkuːnɪŋ/noun
The act of staying at home or creating a protected, enclosed space; or the process of enclosing something in a cocoon.
Did you know?The word comes from French cocon, meaning a shell or husk, ultimately tied to the idea of a seed-case or protective covering — so the modern lifestyle term still carries the ancient logic of concealment and metamorphosis.
Etymological Timeline
17th Century
French
cocon
“A silken case spun by a moth larva; also a shell or husk”
Early 18th Century
English
cocoon
“A silken protective case made by an insect larva”
20th Century
English
cocooning
“The act of surrounding or enclosing in a cocoon; later, staying at home in a sheltered, self-protective way”
Modern English
English
cocooning
“Retreating into a protected, insulated environment or lifestyle”