What does settee mean?
A settee is a long upholstered seat with a back and usually arms, intended for two or more people. It belongs to the same general category as a sofa or couch, although the word is used chiefly in British English and can suggest a traditional or formal piece of furniture. Settees are commonly fitted with upholstery, springs, and cushions, and they may be made from leather, fabric, or a mixture of both. Although some settees accommodate several people, the name is not limited to two-seater examples; a love seat is the more specific term for a small seat designed for a couple. In literary and historical settings, the word can evoke Victorian drawing rooms, country houses, and other furnishings associated with comfortable middle- or upper-class domestic life. Its established use as a noun for a substantial upholstered seat is distinct from the American tendency to use sofa or couch as the ordinary general term.
nounA long upholstered seat with a back, usually with arms, designed for two or more people.
- A long upholstered seat with a back and usually arms, for two or more people.
"A faded floral settee stood beneath the window in the sitting room."
"The settee was covered in worn velvet, with a small patch where the stuffing had begun to show."
"Guests sat along the settee while the host read from the lectern."
The standard plural adds -s.
"The two settees were arranged facing the fireplace."
The settee is the sofa's British cousin: softer than a bench, more formal than a chair, and generally built for at least two.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does settee come from?
The word entered English in the 18th century from French settee, meaning a long seat. The French term ultimately comes from Latin sella, the ordinary word for a saddle or chair, an origin reflected in related English forms such as saddle and the anatomical term sella.
Related word forms
How settee is actually used
Chiefly British; sofa and couch are more common in American English, while sofa has become increasingly common in British English. The word may suggest a traditional, formal, or upholstered seat.
Easily confused with settee
A settee is a general term for a long upholstered seat, whereas a love seat is specifically a small seat intended for two people.