trost

Trost is a German noun meaning consolation or comfort, particularly the solace offered to someone who is grieving, disappointed, or in distress. It is used in expressions such as "Trost finden" (to find consolation) and "jemandem Trost spenden" (to offer someone comfort). The term can also appear in compounds like "Trostpreis" (consolation prize) or "Trostpflaster" (a colloquial term for something viewed as a small consolation).

The word is masculine in German (der Trost). It derives from Old High German trost and has cognates in several other Germanic languages, including Dutch troost, Danish trøst, Norwegian trøst, Swedish tröst, and Icelandic tröst, all tracing back to a common Proto-Germanic root meaning comfort or solace.

In addition to its emotional sense, Trost can appear in cultural and literary contexts as a term for comfort offered during hardship. It also exists as a surname in German-speaking regions, where it is encountered in various family names. Overall, Trost occupies a stable position in the vocabulary of German-speaking communities as a concise word for the support that eases distress.