What does contentation mean?
Contentation is an archaic English noun meaning contentment — a state of quiet satisfaction with what one has. It was in common use from roughly the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries, appearing frequently in sermons, moral essays, and literature of the period, where writers praised it as a virtue: the ability to rest easy without craving more. A typical usage might read, 'He accepted his modest fortune with perfect contentation.' Over time, the word gave way to its modern rivals 'content' and 'contentment', which carry precisely the same meaning and remain standard today. Though it has dropped out of everyday speech, contentation survives as a charming relic of older English, occasionally revived by writers seeking a antique flavour. It derives from Latin roots meaning 'to hold together' or 'to be satisfied'. For readers of Shakespeare's contemporaries or early devotional works, recognising it unlocks a recurring theme of that era: the praise of a settled, untroubled mind.
nounContentation is an archaic term for contentment or satisfaction; a state of being satisfied with what one has.
- A state of contentment or satisfaction; quiet satisfaction with what one has (archaic).
"In his later years he lived with quiet contentation, wanting nothing more than he already had."
"She surveyed her small garden with perfect contentation."
"The old philosopher preached that true contentation lies not in abundance but in wanting little."
Rarely pluralized; the word normally appears in the singular as an uncountable state of satisfaction.
"Such small contentations as a warm fire and good company were enough for him."
Before 'contentment' won our hearts, English speakers found their peace in 'contentation' — a word now so rare it survives mostly in dictionaries and old sermons.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of contentation
Contentation comes from the verb 'content', borrowed into Middle English from Old French, ultimately from Latin contentus, the past participle of continere, 'to contain or hold together' — a word whose original sense of 'that which is contained' came to suggest one whose desires are held within bounds. The noun suffix '-ation' formed the abstract noun denoting the state of being contented. It flourished in Early Modern English alongside the parallel form 'contentment', which eventually displaced it in standard usage.
Related word forms
How contentation is actually used
The word is archaic and is not part of ordinary modern usage; it appears chiefly in literature from the 16th to 18th centuries and in religious writing. Writers today use it only deliberately, often for archaic or literary effect. The modern equivalents are 'contentment' or 'content'.
Easily confused with contentation
Contention means heated dispute or disagreement, whereas contentation (archaic) means contentment and peaceful satisfaction.