comfort zonen.
/ˈkʌmfət ˌzəʊn/, U.S. /ˈkəmfərt ˌzoʊn/ Originally U.S.
1. The range of temperatures within which an environment is comfortable or habitable, esp. within which no heating or cooling is considered necessary. Also (Biology): the range of temperatures within which an organism needs to expend no energy on thermoregulation; the thermoneutral zone.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > biology > balance of nature > environment or habitat > [noun] > conditions of
optimum1848
thermoneutrality1881
normothermia1898
comfort zone1923
oligotrophy1928
saprobity1956
saprobic system1967
saprobicity1971
1923 Science 16 Nov. 391/2 (title) The comfort zone in house heating.
1926 Amer. Jrnl. Sociol. 32 524 Present evidence indicates that the average climatic temperature most conducive to metal activity is considerably below the ‘comfort zone’, probably about 40°.
1951 Science 10 Aug. 150/1 The average skin temperature..in the comfort zone of environmental temperature, is roughly 33°C.
1991 Connecticut Environment Mar. 5/1 The cardinal's comfort zone, the range in which metabolic heat production is at its minimum, is between 60 and 90 degrees.
1998 Independent 5 Aug. i. 9/2 What is a comfort zone? The following formula, the Temperature-Humidity Index (THI), is used to calculate the comfort factor.
2. Something that provides physical comfort. rare.
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the world > physical sensation > physical sensibility > sensuous pleasure > physical comfort > [noun] > snug place, position, or feature
the snug1757
snuggery1850
comfort zone1948
1948 Life 21 June 10 (advt.) You sat in a wide ‘comfort zone’ seat that shaped itself to you.
1990 Country Walking Jan. 83 (caption) Lakeland socks—note the comfort zones.
3. A place or situation in which a person feels secure or at ease; (chiefly figurative) an established pattern of (professional) behaviour which presents few difficulties or challenges and yields only acceptable results, but which one is reluctant to change.
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1977 U.S. News & World Rep. (Nexis) 7 Nov. 71 We find more palatable means of getting them [sc. employees] back into their comfort zones, where they can make contributions that won't be damaging to them or to the organization.
1981 P. C. Newman Canad. Establishment II. i. 23 Toronto is outside my comfort zone.
1988 Toronto Sun 13 Apr. 85/4 If certain of the Jays were indeed in some sort of ‘comfort zone’ before, there is little evidence of that now. There is nothing like a little uncertainty to keep a team from becoming complacent.
1990 Law & Order May 73/1 They are able to talk their victim into what has been described as a ‘comfort zone’. This is a location where the killer feels comfortable or safe and can control the victim.
1997 Your Horse Nov. 6/1 We're..attempting..to stimulate and provoke you, the reader, to explore the infinite possibilities that lie outside your comfort zone and beyond dogmatic approaches.
2001 Mirror (Electronic ed.) 17 Apr. Athenry led at the end of a poor first half by 0-8 to 0-6 and slipped into the comfort zone prematurely when Rabbitte put them 0-12 to 0-7 clear in the 41st minute.
This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, September 2001; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1923