Word
bosom
Phoneticsbo·som, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈbʊzəm/
UK/bˈʊsəm/
Countable noun
Definition
n. 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.
Examples
“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.”
Examples
simple
“She held the crying child close to her bosom.”
contextual
“After years of traveling abroad, he was finally welcomed back into the bosom of his family.”
complex
“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.”
Usage
Frequently used in the singular with a definite article or possessive pronoun; often appears in the phrase 'in the bosom of'.
Real-World Examples
“They have been unexpectedly clasped to the bosom of the heritage rock press and had a profile in the New Yorker, which called them a “British jangle-rock band, with a cheeky dirtbag edge”.” “With a pekingese clamped to her hot pink bosom she would lie back on a library couch and exhale a story about virginal girls taming wayward dukes, damaged airmen or misunderstood surgeons.” Etymology
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”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C2 ProficiencyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.8.5–9.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 6.0114–120
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C2 · Proficiency
- Updated
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