cosy
UK[ˈkəʊzi]US[ˈkoʊzi]
adj
Giving a feeling of comfort, warmth, and relaxation.
adj
(of an arrangement or agreement) Convenient but possibly improper or secretive.
n
A soft covering to keep a teapot or boiled egg hot.
Etymology
The word 'cosy' (also spelled 'cozy' in American English) entered standard English from Scots in the early 18th century, where it meant 'snug, comfortable, warm'. Its ultimate origin is uncertain, but it is possibly derived from a Scots dialect term of Norse influence, related to the Old Norse word 'kose sig', meaning 'to enjoy oneself'. The core semantic idea is one of intimate comfort and pleasant warmth. Over time, its meaning expanded from describing physical comfort to also imply a suspiciously comfortable or clandestine arrangement, highlighting how a sense of ease can sometimes obscure improper dealings.
Analysis
The word 'cosy' is a simplex word of Scots origin. It does not contain separable morphemes in its modern English form.
Examples
We spent a cosy evening by the fireplace.
The company had a cosy relationship with the regulatory authorities.
She knitted a woolly cosy for the teapot.