ENGLISH
REFERENCE

sofa

n. countable
A1 Beginner US //ˈsoʊfə// UK //sˈəʊfɐ// so·fa Archaic

n. a long, comfortable seat with a back and arms that two or more people can sit on together. You usually find this in a living room for relaxing or watching television.

n. a long upholstered seat with a back and arms, designed to accommodate two or more people. Often used interchangeably with 'couch', though 'sofa' is sometimes perceived as slightly more formal or traditional in British English.


SIMPLE

We bought a new leather sofa for the living room.

CONTEXTUAL

After a long day at work, he likes to lie down on the sofa and read a book.

COMPLEX

The interior designer suggested a velvet sofa in a deep emerald green to serve as the focal point of the minimalist lounge area.

Synonyms
Origin

Borrowed from French sofa, ultimately from Arabic صُفَّة (ṣuffa, “a long seat made of stone or brick, covered with rich carpets and cushions and used for sitting”). Cognate with Aramaic צפא/Classical Syriac ܨܦܬܐ (ṣipā’, ṣeppəṯā, “mat, matting”). The word may have entered European languages via Muslim Iberia or through Turkish.

Usage

Commonly used with the prepositions 'on' or 'onto'.

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