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swivel chair

American  

noun

  1. a chair whose seat turns around horizontally on a swivel.


swivel chair British  

noun

  1. a chair, the seat of which is joined to the legs by a swivel and which thus may be spun round

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of swivel chair

An Americanism dating back to 1850–55

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:

“It was a normal day,” he began, twirling on the swivel chair in the Monrovia Marriott’s ADA suite where his family was staying 14 days after the fire.

From Los Angeles Times Jan. 28, 2025

But what brought him to viral notoriety was his decision to recline nonchalantly in a staff member’s swivel chair and plunk his left work boot atop the desk.

From Washington Post Jan. 23, 2023

“It’s almost like watching a jazz musician riffing,” Rauch said, describing a scene in which Larroquette had to deliver his lines while shooting backward in a swivel chair.

From New York Times Jan. 16, 2023

In living rooms, a swivel chair bridges several functions, says Conner — it’s ready for conversation over here or binge-watching over there, which is very helpful in a small space.

From Seattle Times Jan. 13, 2023

I sat back in the swivel chair and poked through the remainder.

From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee

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