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

I explored this question in my book "The Cat's Meow: How Cats Evolved from the Savanna to Your Sofa."

From Salon • Aug. 11, 2023

As the concert segues into soul and R&B, Beyoncé shows off some impressive, jazzy vocal runs during Plastic On The Sofa.

From BBC • May 29, 2023

Almost everything in the couple’s trove of a store on London’s Pimlico Road comes in a correspondingly imposing scale — from the skirted expanse of the Upton Sofa to their signature globular glass lanterns.

From New York Times • Nov. 10, 2022

West Elm Eddy Sofa: Brown is a fan of the Eddy’s floating wooden trestle-style legs.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 18, 2021

Round the Sofa appeared in two volumes, the first containing only “My Lady Ludlow,” the second five short stories.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 4 "G" to "Gaskell, Elizabeth" by Various

Related Words

• love seat
• settee