Couch, Sofa and Settee Are a Class Signal in Britain
A couch is a long padded seat. Which word you use for it has long been read in Britain as a marker of background.
A couch is a long upholstered seat for more than one person. In Britain the choice between *sofa*, *settee* and *couch* has been treated for a century as a class marker — Nancy Mitford's 1950s lists of upper-class and non-upper-class words put *sofa* on one side and *settee* on the other — though the distinction is fading fast among younger speakers. The verb *to couch* means to express in a particular way, as in couched in vague terms.
- A long padded seat. *Sit on the couch.*
- To express in words. *Couched in legal language.*
- Couch potato — an inactive person. *A total couch potato.*
- Sofa — the common British word. *A leather sofa.*
- Settee — another British word. *A three-seater settee.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | couch | A soft couch. |
| Plural | couches | Two couches. |
| Verb | couch | Couch it carefully. |
| Past | couched | Couched in doubt. |
| Compound | couch potato | A couch potato. |
- He fell asleep on the couch.Furniture.
- The refusal was couched in polite terms.Verb.
- Sofa, settee and couch all name the same object.Usage.
Three words, one piece of furniture
- Sofa — from Arabic *suffah*, a raised platform with cushions
- Settee — from *settle*, a long wooden bench with a high back
- Couch — from French *coucher*, to lie down
- Davenport — an American term, from a manufacturer
- Chesterfield — Canadian and British, for a particular deep-buttoned style
Old French *couche*, a bed, from *coucher*, to lay down, from Latin *collocare*, to place together.
Is it couch, sofa or settee?
All three name the same furniture. Sofa is the most common in Britain, couch in North America, settee more regional and dated.
What does couched in mean?
Expressed in a particular style or wording, as in a refusal couched in polite language.