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Where does the word "seat" come from? It comes from Old Norse saeti, and was adopted directly into English (1200s).
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Where does the word "seat" come from? It comes from Old Norse saeti, and was adopted directly into English (1200s).
Seat’s story begins in Old Norse: saeti meant “a place to sit.” A place to sit, a dwelling. It reached English by 1200s as seat. Settled as the standard English word for a place to sit. Today, seat means a place designed for sitting, or a position of authority or membership.
- Stage 1 · Old Norse · medieval saeti "a place to sit", a place to sit, a dwelling.
- Stage 2 · English · 1200s seat "a place designed for sitting", settled as the standard English word for a place to sit.