sofa

sofa — noun

1. A sofa is a long, padded seat that has a backrest and arm supports, and is wide

1.nounA2
Definition

A sofa is a long, padded seat that has a backrest and arm supports, and is wide enough for several people to share.

Example

Meera sat on the sofa to watch television with her family.

collocation: sit on a sofa

The old leather sofa in the living room is very soft and warm.

collocation: leather sofa

Common collocations
  • sit on a sofa
  • lie on a sofa
  • leather sofa
  • fabric sofa
  • sofa cushions
  • sofa bed
  • sofa set
  • corner sofa
Synonyms
  • couch

    more informal and very common in American English; often used for the same piece of furniture

  • settee

    slightly old-fashioned, more common in British English; often smaller

  • loveseat

    a small sofa designed for two people

Grammar Patterns

a/the [adjective] sofa

[verb] on the sofa

Usage Note

In American English, 'couch' is equally common. 'Sofa' is used in both British and American English.

Word family

  • sofa bed
    nounB1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

"Sofa" and "couch" are the most common words for a long upholstered seat for multiple people. "Couch" is more informal and used more often in American English, while "sofa" is standard in both British and American English and is slightly more formal. "Settee" is less common and sounds old-fashioned in many regions; it usually refers to a smaller, wooden-framed seat. "Loveseat" is a specific term for a small sofa built for exactly two people. For example: "We bought a new sofa for the living room" sounds neutral in any variety of English. "I fell asleep on the couch watching a movie" sounds natural and casual in American English.

sofa ↗couch ↗setteeloveseat

Common collocations

Nouns

  • sofa cushion
  • sofa bed
  • sofa arm
  • sofa cover

Prepositions

  • on a sofa
  • off the sofa
  • onto the sofa

Etymology

ArabicTurkishFrenchEnglish

"Sofa" entered English in the 1600s from Turkish, where it referred to a raised, carpeted platform with cushions. The Turkish word came from Arabic "suffah," meaning a stone or wooden bench. The meaning shifted over time from a Middle Eastern bench to the padded Western piece of living-room furniture we know today.