Type of seat furniture. In 20th-century usage the terms sofa and settee are virtually interchangeable, but it is nevertheless possible to draw a distinction between the two. Both are long seats with backs and arms; a sofa is generally completely upholstered, whereas a settee is any variant on this that is less than fully upholstered, ranging from a long upholstered seat with open arms to an 18th-century hall settee made entirely of wood.
See the Abbreviations for further details.
