chair

American  

[chair] / tʃɛər /

noun

chairs plural

1. a seat, especially for one person, usually having four legs for support and a rest for the back and often having rests for the arms.

2. something that serves as a chair or supports like a chair.

   The two men clasped hands to make a chair for their injured companion.

3. a seat of office or authority.

4. a position of authority, as of a judge, professor, etc.

5. the person occupying a seat of office, especially the chairperson of a meeting.

   The speaker addressed the chair.

6. (in an orchestra) the position of a player, assigned by rank; desk.

   first clarinet chair.

7. Informal. the chair, electric chair.

8. chairlift.

9. sedan chair.

10. (in reinforced-concrete construction) a device for maintaining the position of reinforcing rods or strands during the pouring operation.

11. a glassmaker's bench having extended arms on which a blowpipe is rolled in shaping glass.

12. British Railroads. a metal block for supporting a rail and securing it to a crosstie or the like.

---

verb (used with object)

chairs, present (3rd person singular) chaired, past participle, past chairing present participle

1. to place or seat in a chair.

2. to install in office.

3. to preside over; act as chairperson of.

   to chair a committee.

4. British. to carry (a hero or victor) aloft in triumph.

verb (used without object)

chairs, present (3rd person singular) chaired, past participle, past chairing present participle

1. to preside over a meeting, committee, etc.

idioms

1. take the chair,

   1. to begin or open a meeting.

   2. to preside at a meeting; act as chairperson.

2. get the chair, to be sentenced to die in the electric chair.

chair British  

/ tʃɛə /

noun

1. a seat with a back on which one person sits, typically having four legs and often having arms

2. an official position of authority

   a chair on the board of directors

3. the person chairing a debate or meeting

   the speaker addressed the chair

4. a professorship

   the chair of German

5. railways an iron or steel cradle bolted to a sleeper in which the rail sits and is locked in position

6. short for sedan chair

7. chairing a debate or meeting

8. to preside as chairman for a meeting, etc

9. an informal name for electric chair

---

verb

1. to preside over (a meeting)

2. to carry aloft in a sitting position after a triumph or great achievement

3. to provide with a chair of office

4. to install in a chair

chair More Idioms  

1. see musical chairs.

---

Gender

Is it chair, chairman, chairwoman, or chairperson? See chairperson.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• chairless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• chairs
  plural

Participles

• chairing
  present
• chaired
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• chair
  simple
• chairs
  simple
• have chaired
  perfect
• has chaired
  perfect
• am chairing
  progressive
• are chairing
  progressive
• is chairing
  progressive
• have been chairing
  perfect progressive
• has been chairing
  perfect progressive

Past

• chaired
  simple
• had chaired
  perfect
• was chairing
  progressive
• were chairing
  progressive
• had been chairing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will chair
  simple
• will have chaired
  perfect
• will be chairing
  progressive
• will have been chairing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of chair

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English chaiere, from Old French, from Latin cathedra; see cathedra

Explanation

A chair is a seat with four legs and a back to lean against. When you invite a large group for dinner, you have to make sure you find chairs for all of your guests. As opposed to a bench, couch, or sofa, a chair usually seats one single person. You might have wooden kitchen chairs and a comfortable, upholstered chair with arms for watching TV. Another kind of chair is the leader of an organization or group, and it's also a verb meaning to lead such a group: "I've been asked to chair the monthly meetings of the stamp collectors' club." The Old French root is chaiere, "seat or throne."

Example Sentences

Though political, Greenspan as Fed chair was not partisan.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 22, 2026

In 1987, another Republican president, Ronald Reagan, named Greenspan to serve as chair of the Federal Reserve.

From Barron's • Jun. 22, 2026

In the two decades since Greenspan left the Fed, no chair has served more than two terms.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 22, 2026

One trader said that when he’d had a bad day in the market, he would sit in the chair for “inspiration.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 22, 2026

She let the chair drop to the asphalt and ran toward Cameron Sound.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Related Words

• armchair
• bench
• recliner