chair
Americannoun
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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.
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something that serves as a chair or supports like a chair.
The two men clasped hands to make a chair for their injured companion.
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a seat of office or authority.
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a position of authority, as of a judge, professor, etc.
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the person occupying a seat of office, especially the chairperson of a meeting.
The speaker addressed the chair.
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(in an orchestra) the position of a player, assigned by rank; desk.
first clarinet chair.
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Informal. the chair, electric chair.
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(in reinforced-concrete construction) a device for maintaining the position of reinforcing rods or strands during the pouring operation.
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a glassmaker's bench having extended arms on which a blowpipe is rolled in shaping glass.
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British Railroads. a metal block for supporting a rail and securing it to a crosstie or the like.
verb (used with object)
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to place or seat in a chair.
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to install in office.
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to preside over; act as chairperson of.
to chair a committee.
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British. to carry (a hero or victor) aloft in triumph.
verb (used without object)
idioms
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take the chair,
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to begin or open a meeting.
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to preside at a meeting; act as chairperson.
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get the chair, to be sentenced to die in the electric chair.
noun
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a seat with a back on which one person sits, typically having four legs and often having arms
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an official position of authority
a chair on the board of directors
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the person chairing a debate or meeting
the speaker addressed the chair
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a professorship
the chair of German
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railways an iron or steel cradle bolted to a sleeper in which the rail sits and is locked in position
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short for sedan chair
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chairing a debate or meeting
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to preside as chairman for a meeting, etc
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an informal name for electric chair
verb
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to preside over (a meeting)
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to carry aloft in a sitting position after a triumph or great achievement
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to provide with a chair of office
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to install in a chair
Gender
Is it chair, chairman, chairwoman, or chairperson? See chairperson.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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chairsimple
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chairssimple
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have chairedperfect
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has chairedperfect
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am chairingprogressive
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are chairingprogressive
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is chairingprogressive
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have been chairingperfect progressive
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has been chairingperfect progressive
Past
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chairedsimple
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had chairedperfect
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was chairingprogressive
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were chairingprogressive
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had been chairingperfect progressive
Future
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Chipper Jones stopped by and said, “You dusting off that chair for next year, Dusty?”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
Every familiar object — the chair, the laundry basket, the glass of water beside the bed — seemed to acquire a slightly accusatory moonlit outline.
From Salon ● Jul. 28, 2026
“There’s likely a nonzero chance that courts will decide Kalshi and Polymarket are betting platforms,” said Don Millis, the Republican chair of the Wisconsin Elections Commission.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
There were no dissents at the June meeting, Warsh’s first as chair, as central-bank officials gave him a “honeymoon” that isn’t expected to last, said Derek Tang, co-founder of LH Meyer/Monetary Policy Analytics.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 25, 2026
She sat in the chair next to him.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
When Julie Masino became Cracker Barrel’s CEO in 2023, she arrived with plans to modernize a restaurant chain known for breakfast, meatloaf, rocking chairs and a homespun atmosphere.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
They were formed with cones, shipping pallets, chairs, trash bins, or even neighbors inside a traffic circle.
From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026
In the dining room, vintage Doyle Lane ceramic beads dangle from a Mission-style wooden clock while designer handbags are draped over chairs and hat racks.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
Former MP and ex-CEO of UK Music Michael Dugher urged the airport on social media to "at least allow people to use the chairs in all the closed restaurants and bars".
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
She cried into the sofa cushions, looked in the mirror, worried, rearranged the chairs, cried again.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
OpenAI’s board is chaired by Bret Taylor, the former co-CEO of Salesforce and chief executive of the AI startup Sierra.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
Eddie Comeaux, a UC Riverside professor who chaired the system’s admissions board in 2020 when it recommended keeping the tests, said a committee had “significant” divisions on testing even though it ultimately favored it.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026
The commission will be chaired by her brother, National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez.
From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026
The official who oversees this process in Washington is Fed governor Christopher Waller, who has chaired the board’s committee on reserve bank affairs since 2022.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026
General Russell sat at the head of the table, a tall, tough-looking figure in uniform; he chaired the meeting.
From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston
Later this week, Kevin Warsh will be chairing his first Federal Reserve meeting, where the central bank is widely expected to keep interest rates on hold.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 15, 2026
And there was an incident this week while McConnell was chairing his defense appropriations subcommittee hearing.
From Slate ● May 16, 2026
Elumelu, 63, is one of Africa's wealthiest people, chairing banking and investment firms including Heirs Holdings, Transcorp and United Bank for Africa.
From Barron's ● May 13, 2026
Josh Newman, 61, has been a state senator, including chairing the education committee, and a technology company executive.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 1, 2026
In the days leading up to the charrette, Durham’s two white newspapers also featured several in-depth stories about the event, many of them focusing on the odd couple chairing it.
From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
