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• Ottoman
  Ottoman

  adjective

  of or relating to the Ottoman Empire.
• ottoman
  ottoman

Ottoman

American  

[ot-uh-muhn] / ˈɒt ə mən /

adjective

1. of or relating to the Ottoman Empire.

2. of or relating to the lands, peoples, and possessions of the Ottoman Empire.

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noun

• Ottomans
  plural

1. a Turk.

2. a Turk of the family or tribe of Osman.

3. (lowercase) a cushioned footstool.

4. (lowercase) a low cushioned seat without back or arms.

5. (lowercase) a kind of divan or sofa, with or without a back.

6. (lowercase) a corded silk or rayon fabric with large cotton cord for filling.

ottoman ¹ British  

/ ˈɒtəmən /

noun

1. 1. a low padded seat, usually armless, sometimes in the form of a chest

   2. a cushioned footstool

2. a corded fabric

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Ottoman ² British  

/ ˈɒtəmən /

adjective

1. history of or relating to the Ottomans or the Ottoman Empire

2. denoting or relating to the Turkish language

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noun

1. a member of a Turkish people who invaded the Near East in the late 13th century

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• Ottomanlike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• Ottomans
  plural

Etymology

Origin of Ottoman

1575–85; < French < Italian ottomano, after the founder of the empire ( Arabic ʿuthmān ); Ottoman defs. 5, 6, 7, 8 < French ottomane (feminine)

Explanation

Your dad's favorite cushioned spot to rest his feet can be referred to as an ottoman — it's also known as a hassock or a footstool. This word may conjure anything from a vast empire to a footstool — it's all the same word, ultimately from the Arabic personal name Othman (which loses a lot, soundwise, in translation). The puffy footstools known as ottomans were allegedly originally a component of said empire's comforts.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Ottoman ottoman Ottomans

He died from a fever in 1824 in Missolonghi, in modern day Greece, after joining Greek insurgents the year prior to fight a war of independence against the Ottoman Empire.

From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026

The Ottoman Caliphate zone, especially, frowned on painting humans from life.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 12, 2026

His work embodies the principle of cross-cultural beneficence—the Ottoman Orient able to portray itself faithfully thanks to Western influence.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 12, 2026

Albania gained independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1912 and became a monarchy.

From Slate ● Sep. 8, 2026

On the basis of a horoscope he had cast, Tycho declared that this event foretold the death of the Ottoman Sultan, Sulaiman, known as the Magnificent.

From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin

Some come with an ottoman so you can hang out with someone in your group.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 27, 2026

We would also lose one of TV’s most unforgettable opening sequences highlighted by Van Dyke’s Rob Petrie tumbling over an ottoman, then springing to his feet with a grin.

From Salon ● Dec. 13, 2025

Pro tip: This ottoman, which is made with fast-drying foam, looks just like a scrumptious popover or a delicious jelly candy.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 17, 2024

“Instead of a large cocktail table in your hang-out zone, include a collection of small tables and a pouf or ottoman to continue with the theme of keeping your space flexible, “ she says.

From Seattle Times ● May 17, 2024

Up into the peaked space they carted my grandparents’ disassembled bed, the leather ottoman, the brass coffee table, and Lefty’s rebetika records.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides

For thousands of years, the ancient city of Sardis in western Turkey changed hands as Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, and Ottomans rose and fell.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 25, 2026

Greeks, Ottomans and Portuguese all sought to control the Persian waterway, whose shores were once dubbed the Pirate Coast.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 21, 2026

Ottomans provide storage not only for Hedda’s guns but also for her secrets.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 25, 2026

"Stanley came to appreciate the social and the spiritual benefits Islam provided the Ottomans," Gilham said.

From BBC ● Feb. 15, 2026

The reign of Othman's son Orkhan, the second Emir of the Ottomans, almost coincided with that of Andronicus III.

From The Byzantine Empire by Charles William Chadwick Oman