Cushion
/ˈkʊʃ.ən/noun
A soft pad filled with material and used for sitting, resting, or support.
Did you know?English cushion ultimately comes from Latin *cuxsum* / *coquus*-related forms often linked to a “cooked” or “pressed” pad in medieval Romance tradition, but the exact path is debated—what’s certain is that it entered English through Old French as a prestige comfort-word.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*keuk-
“to bend, curve, or swell”
Latin
Latin
coxa
“hip, thigh”
Late Latin
Latin
cuxsum
“a padded support or cushion-like seat”
Old French
Old French
coissin
“a cushion, pad, or stuffed pillow”
Middle English
English
cushin
“a soft pad used for sitting or support”
Modern English
English
cushion
“a soft pad filled with material and used for sitting, resting, or support”