bosom
n. countablen. the chest of a person, especially when thought of as a place for warm feelings and safety. It can also mean the center or heart of a group where you feel protected.
n. the human chest, particularly the mammary region; figuratively, the seat of intimate emotions or the protective center of a group. Often used in literary contexts to signify a place of comfort or security.
She held the crying child close to her bosom.
After years of traveling abroad, he was finally welcomed back into the bosom of his family.
The poet describes the valley as being cradled in the bosom of the mountains, suggesting a sense of maternal protection and isolation from the harsh winds of the coast.
From Middle English bosom, bosum, from Old English bōsm, from Proto-West Germanic bōsm, from Proto-Germanic bōsmaz, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰewH- (“to swell, bend, curve”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Bossem, Bousem (“bosom”), West Frisian boezem (“bosom”), Dutch boezem (“bosom”), German Busen (“bosom”). Related also to Albanian buzë (“lip”), Greek βυζί (vyzí, “breast”), Romanian buză (“lip”), Irish bus (“lip”), and Latin bucca (“cheek”).
Frequently used in the singular with a definite article or possessive pronoun; often appears in the phrase 'in the bosom of'.