Langsettle
Noun
- A long wooden seat, a precursor of the sofa.
Example Sentences
“The entry hall is flanked with a langsettle on either side of the door.”
“I found a beautiful oak langsettle at the antique market last weekend.”
“The langsettle runs the length of the room, but there’s room for another sofa across from it.”
Word Origin
Scots, mid-14th century
Why this word?
There have been many words throughout history for various iterations of seating and sofas, including “settee,” “divan,” “chaise,” “chesterfield,” “davenport,” and “futon.” One of the earliest forms might be the langsettle. This long wooden bench with raised arms and a high back was around as far back as the mid-1300s. “Langsettle” became a fairly obsolete word after the mid-1800s, but an antique dealer might still be able to find a langsettle for you.