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History of sofa etymology: Sofa vs couch vs settee meaning

There’s football vs soccer or pavement vs sidewalk, but here at DFS - it’s sofa vs couch. We Brits have tons in common with our friends over the pond, but furniture names isn’t one of them!

Whether you call it a settee, couch, or sofa; from local dialect differences to the historical shift of names; each of these words have gone through an evolution to become part of our everyday living room vocabulary.

Want to learn more about the difference between sofa and settee? Let’s settle the couch vs sofa debate for good.

What does sofa mean?

From the cosy fabric two seater to a grandiose leather L-shape style, a lot of us call it all by one simple name: a sofa.

While a fair few wonder whether sofa is American or British, you might be surprised to learn the origins of this word come from somewhere entirely different. They gave us baklava, the evil eye amulet, and a Brit’s Saturday night takeaway favourite, the kebab. That’s right – we’re talking about Turkey!

Let’s take a closer look at the history of sofas…

What is the history of the sofa?

‘Sofa’ as a term derives from the Arabic word ‘suffah’ which means ‘sheltered raised platform’ - or more simply, ‘bench’. This Arabic term dates all the way back to Egypt in 2000 BC, when the only people who had the luxury of flopping onto a soft and squishy seat were the likes of Pharaohs and the super-elite. How far we’ve come!

It wasn’t until 1625 that ‘sofa’ was introduced to the British vocabulary by English Anglican cleric, Samuel Purchas. While exploring Turkey he discovered ‘sofas with sumptuous carpets of gold’, documenting them in one of his many books on travel for Brits. However, the sofa meaning of today is nothing like the sofa meaning of the early 1600s. French craftsmen created the love seat, not as a cosy sofa to cuddle up on, but to allow French women - with their elegant but quite sizeable broad skirts - to rest their weary legs.

Back home, the fourth Earl of Chesterfield was after a regal, luxurious sofa for his established guests to perch on. Mixing comfort with poise and proper posture, the Chesterfield sofa was born, a design that has stood the test of time and is still popular today. A lot has happened over the years for the sofa to become commonplace in our living rooms. But, the next time you flop onto your sofa, you’ll know exactly how it got there!

What does couch mean?

You may be wondering, couch or sofa; are they not just the same thing? Well, there are subtle differences between ‘couch’ and ‘sofa’ - their meanings differ both here at home, further afield, and throughout history.

When it comes to the couch vs sofa debate, a sofa is all about proper posture, while a couch derives from the French word ‘coucher’, meaning to sleep or lay down. A sofa encourages you to sit upright - while a couch urges you to get comfy and cosy.

Back in 17th century France, interior designers crafted something similar to today’s daybed. With an elongated lounging section, and support at each end - but no backrest - this couch was crafted to bring relaxation to the stiff-postured elite of the 1700s.

This shift horrified some of the royals of the day who relished in the proper protocol and etiquette of the time. The sister-in-law of Britain’s King wrote outraged letters proclaiming the sight of ‘lowly officers…stretched out on sofas. It all disgusted me’. A bit harsh if you ask us…

Difference between couch and sofa

The difference between couch and sofa is minimal, but one term does tend to be used more typically across America, and one of them can even be used as a verb. While lounging on your couch is much more accepted across the globe than it was back then, the word itself does have more prevalence in some languages than others. Couch is more American-English than British-English, and you’ll often find sofa is used more broadly across the UK than couch is. Certainly here at DFS, we much prefer to call them sofas!

Couch can also be used as a verb. To ‘couch’ is to explain your point in a very specific way – “I want to couch this delicately…I think my sofa is more luxurious than yours” is something you may find yourself saying after browsing our range of sofas. Although, we’re not sure that’s couched quite so delicately. So, you now know the difference between couch and sofa, and your personal dictionary just got one phrase bigger too – result!

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What does settee mean?

To settee or to sofa, that is the question. Today, a settee is actually quite similar to a sofa, but it has definitely taken a bit of a historical shift to get there.

The term settee derives from Old English when it was called a ‘setl’ and resembled something more similar to a wooden bench than anything like today’s settee. Most settees of the time featured ornately crafted wooden backs often carved with lavish designs - but with no upholstery, they didn’t feel anything like the comfort offered in settees today.

As time went on, foam backs and cushions were added to bring comfort to the Middle Ages, and this quest for relaxation has led to settees evolving even further. From the recliner settees we sprawl out on today, to the modern corner sofas we cuddle on – we have truly embraced that ‘sink in and ahh’ moment.

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What’s the difference between sofa and settee?

As historical language developed, the word shifted from its ‘setl’ Old English origins to today’s settee. So, while the differences between sofa and settee are small, there is a difference when it comes to dialect. Americans tend to use the word couch, alongside Australians, and South Africans. While sofa is generally used across the UK, and the word ‘settee’ tends to be used a bit more in the North of England. But the good news is, whether you use settee or sofa, or even couch, you are bound to be understood. There you have it! While the differences between sofa and settee are few and far between, the next time you find yourself in Australia, call it a couch - and if you’re in the North then go for settee.

Now you know couch is American, the difference between sofa and settee, and what sofa means, you can begin shopping for your very own couch, sofa, or even settee. Check out our range of sofas or explore our inspiration page to create your perfect living room!