settee
settee Lexical Profile
settee Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A long upholstered seat with a back and arms for two or more people, such as a sofa, couch, or small loveseat.
"They placed an antique velvet settee beneath the parlor window to create a cozy reading nook."
A fast, single-decked sailing vessel with a long, sharp prow and two or three masts carrying lateen sails, historically used in the Mediterranean.
"Merchant settees were once a common sight along the bustling trade routes of the Mediterranean Sea."
Word Nuance & Usage
In British English, 'settee' is a common everyday synonym for 'sofa' or 'couch', whereas in North American English it typically refers specifically to a smaller, more formal upholstered bench or loveseat.
• Rhymes for settee
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the early 18th century for the furniture sense, likely as a fanciful variation of 'settle' (a wooden bench with a high back, from Old English 'setl', meaning 'seat'). The nautical sense derives independently from French 'sétie' and Italian 'saettia', ultimately from Latin 'sagitta' (arrow), in reference to the vessel's swift, slender hull.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.