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con·sole¹

(kən-sōl)

tr.v. con·soled, con·sol·ing, con·soles

To allay the sorrow or grief of (someone). See Synonyms at comfort.

[French consoler, from Old French, from Latin cōnsōlārī : com-, intensive pref.; see COM- + sōlārī, to comfort.]

con·sola·ble adj.

con·sola·to′ry (-sōlə-tôr′ē, -sŏlə-) adj.

con·soler n.

con·soling·ly adv.

con·sole²

(kŏnsōl′)

a. A central control panel for a mechanical, electrical, or electronic system.

b. Computers The keyboard and monitor, considered as a unit by which a user provides input and receives output from a central processing unit.

c. An instrument panel.

d. A computer system designed to play a specific format of video game using special controllers and a separate display, such as a television.

2. Music The desklike part of an organ that contains the keyboard, stops, and pedals.

3. A small storage compartment mounted between bucket seats in an automobile.

4. A small, freestanding cabinet, especially one housing a television or stereo equipment.

5. An often scroll-shaped bracket used for decoration or for supporting a projecting member, such as a cornice or shelf.

6. A console table.

[French, perhaps short for consolider, to strengthen, from Latin cōnsolidāre; see CONSOLIDATE.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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