Sofa is more common in Britain, while couch is preferred in North America, Ireland, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia.
In modern day terms, sofa is the most popular word used to describe that big, comfy piece of furniture in your living room, but the words couch and settee do mean the same thing, and are certainly interchangeable today.
'Lounge' is derived from 'Chaise longue' which was traditionally a daybed, and could accomodate the legs. So although sofa, couch and lounge were all traditionally distinctive from each other, the evolution of the modern sofa has made the terms interchangeable.
Because Davenport sofas were large, upholstered, and comfortable to sleep on, the term “Davenport” was used to describe sleeper sofas. Once the name Davenport became a widely accepted synonym for couches, it could be applied to sofas that had little to no resemblance to the original design.
Couch is predominantly used in North America, Australia, South Africa, and Ireland, whereas the terms sofa and settee (U and non-U) are most commonly used in the United Kingdom and India. The word couch originated in Middle English from the Old French noun couche, which derived from the verb meaning "to lie down".
Couch / Sofa / Settee.
Chesterfield. A sofa or couch.
The style of couch referred to popularly as "fainting couches" were popular in the 19th century as a revival of ancient furniture styles.
banquette. studio couch. recamier. tête-à-tête. love seat.
Unlike other words in Britain sofa/settee/couch doesn't seem to have clear regional differences, but it may have a class difference with upper-middle class and above people saying sofa, working class and lower-middle class saying settee or couch.
The term "couch," believed to be derived from the French word "couche," is used to describe "a piece of furniture with no arms used for lying." On the other hand, Merriam-Webster defines a "sofa" as "a long, upholstered seat usually with arms and a back, and often convertible into a bed."
Couch is predominantly used in North America, Australia, South Africa, and Ireland, whereas the terms sofa and settee (U and non-U) are most commonly used in the United Kingdom and India. The word couch originated in Middle English from the Old French noun couche, which derived from the verb meaning "to lie down".
The Sofa Today
Still, a survey by Oxford Dictionaries has determined that the most popular word for the living room seating furniture is “sofa” in Britain and “couch” in America.
In the UK, sofa is by far the most popular term, settee is something of an outdated term for the same thing, and couch is rarely used, except perhaps as one of the many questionable 'Americanisms' that have entered our vocabulary, and technically, the 'couch' as a kind of reclining seat used by psychiatrists to lay ...
What is a couch called in Canada? Usually a couch. Sometimes a sofa. Rarely and only by people much older than me, and I am late 60s, a chesterfield.
For example, the only technical difference between a sofa and a loveseat is the size. A two-seater sofa, and a loveseat are both seating designed for two people but proportioned slightly differently.
Davenport, the Sofa
The use of the term "davenport" for a large upholstered sofa began around 1900 when the Cambridge, Massachusetts, furniture manufacturer A.H. Davenport Co. created a boxy sofa, now iconic. The term can also mean a sleeper sofa.
Chair-back Settee
An early type of couch, it was developed in the late 17th century and continued to be popular well into the 19th century with the backs, legs, and feet reflecting the predominant styles of the period. The back chairs are usually open but can be upholstered.
A canapé is a piece of furniture similar to a couch. The word is typically meant to describe an elegant couch made out of elaborately carved wood with wooden legs, an upholstered back, armrests, and single long seat (instead of separate cushions) that typically seats three, that emerged from France in the 18th century.
Outside of Saskatchewan, most Canadians are not familiar with the term bunny hug (which can also be written as "bunny-hug" or "bunnyhug"), and generally refer to their hooded sweatshirts as "hoodies" - how unoriginal!
The master bedroom is the biggest / main bedroom. A tiny bedroom may be called a boxroom or nursery. An additional bedroom intended for guests is called a guest room.
Uh, we call those drapes or curtains. Ok, we could call them curtains too, but we don't normally call them drapes. So what are these? Oh, they're blinds.
In Western architecture, a living room, also called a lounge room (Australian English), lounge (British English), sitting room (British English), or drawing room, is a room for relaxing and socializing in a residential house or apartment.