sofa

American  

[soh-fuh] / ˈsoʊ fə /

noun

1. a long, upholstered couch with a back and two arms or raised ends.

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sofa British  

/ ˈsəʊfə /

noun

1. an upholstered seat with back and arms for two or more people

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Etymology

Origin of sofa

1615–25; < Turkish < Arabic ṣuffah platform used as a seat

Explanation

A sofa is a piece of furniture that a few people can comfortably sit on together. On a rainy weekend, you and your friends might pile on the sofa to watch scary movies and eat popcorn. A sofa is similar to a couch — officially, it needs to seat at least three or more people to qualify as a sofa. If only two people can fit, it's a love seat. And if it's only big enough for you and your pet hedgehog, it's an armchair. Sofas are typically upholstered, with a high back and arms. The word originated from Turkish, from an Arabic root, suffa, "bench of stone or wood."

Example Sentences

Once he settles on the sofa beside me, McKellen vacillates between performative storytelling and genuine reflection.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

The well-worn sofa and adjacent armchairs suggest it’s because people sit in it.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

He said he was on the sofa watching rugby and saw the players "falling off the screen", so headed to the hospital where doctors told him he had a brain aneurysm "that started to leak".

From BBC • Mar. 29, 2026

At its worst, it left him unable to get up off the sofa, or to shower - but he is now looking at slowly getting back to life with his young family.

From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026

We came back to Bertha, and I’ve been sitting on the living-room sofa ever since.

From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas

Related Words

• love seat
• settee