* Compassion: "Com-" in "compassion" highlights the idea of suffering together. It implies a deep understanding and empathy for another person's pain, as if we are sharing in their suffering.
* Comfort: "Com-" in "comfort" signifies the idea of bringing together. It suggests a sense of ease and relief, where something external (like words, presence, or actions) helps to alleviate the emotional or physical burden of another person.
Here's how the prefix "com-" shapes these words:
* Compassion: "Com-" emphasizes the shared nature of suffering, highlighting the emotional connection we feel with someone who is hurting.
* Comfort: "Com-" emphasizes the shared experience of relief, suggesting a bringing together of the comforter and the comforted.
Both compassion and comfort require a connection, an understanding of the other's experience, and a desire to offer support. The prefix "com-" underscores this crucial element of shared feeling and shared action.