Etymology Map
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Settee

4 stages from Proto-Germanic to English.

Today it means an upholstered seat with a back and arms for two or more people

Where does the word "settee" come from? It comes from Proto-Germanic setlaz, passing through Old English and English before entering English (1716).

1
Stage 1 of 4
setlaz
Proto-Germanic · ancient
"seat"
from the root of 'sit' and 'seat'; German 'Sessel', armchair, is a cousin
2
Stage 2 of 4
setl
Old English · medieval
"seat"
a seat or bench, also a place to rest
3
Stage 3 of 4
settle
English · 1500s
"high-backed bench"
a long wooden bench with a high back and arms, often set by the fireplace
4
Stage 4 of 4
settee
English · 1716
"upholstered seat for two or more"
first recorded in 1716, probably an altered form of 'settle'
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Read the full story

Settee’s story begins in Proto-Germanic: setlaz meant “seat.” From the root of 'sit' and 'seat'; German 'Sessel', armchair, is a cousin. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old English as setl. A seat or bench, also a place to rest. From there it passed into English as settle by 1500s. A long wooden bench with a high back and arms, often set by the fireplace. It reached English by 1716 as settee. First recorded in 1716, probably an altered form of 'settle'. Today, settee means an upholstered seat with a back and arms for two or more people.