settee
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of settee
First recorded in 1710–20; perhaps variant of settle 2
Explanation
A settee is similar to a loveseat, an upholstered piece of furniture that's big enough for more than one person to sit on. If you don't have enough comfortable places to sit in your apartment, you might consider buying a settee. The definition of a settee is essentially the same as a sofa: an upholstered bench with a back and arms. It's more commonly used in Britain than the U.S., and has an old-fashioned sound to it, but you can use this word to describe your loveseat or couch if you like: "Come sit on the settee with me!" Etymologists' best guess about the word's origin is that settee is related to settle, "sit comfortably."
Vocabulary lists containing settee
The Ottoman Empire: Furniture Words
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A Monster Calls
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The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
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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.
“It may take some time for people to recover from the trauma caused by this lengthy manhunt,” said Grand Chief Garrison Settee, leader of an indigenous advocacy group in Manitoba.
From Reuters • Aug. 7, 2019
“Here students are really getting developed to be trained capitalists,” said Priscilla Settee, a professor of indigenous and gender studies at the University of Saskatchewan.
From New York Times • Jun. 19, 2017
We camped within five miles of the British border at the Chinese fortlet of Settee, a palisaded camp whose gateway also was hung with heads of dacoits.
From An Australian in China Being the Narrative of a Quiet Journey Across China to Burma by Morrison, George Ernest
Settee, se-tē′, n. a long seat with a back, esp. a sofa for two.
From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 4 of 4: S-Z and supplements) by Various
Settee, se-tē′, n. a single-decked Mediterranean vessel with long prow and lateen sails.
From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 4 of 4: S-Z and supplements) by Various
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.
