ottoman

1 of 2

noun

ot·​to·​man ˈä-tə-mən 

1

capitalized

a

: a member of a Turkish dynasty founded by Osman I that ruled the Ottoman Empire

b

: a citizen or functionary of the Ottoman Empire

2

[French ottomane, from feminine of ottoman, adjective]

a

: an upholstered often overstuffed seat or couch usually without a back

b

: an overstuffed footstool

3

: a heavy clothing fabric characterized by pronounced crosswise ribs

Ottoman

2 of 2

adjective

Ot·​to·​man ˈä-tə-mən 

: of or relating to the Ottoman Empire or its citizens

Examples of ottoman in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The storage ottoman also has a soft and cushiony top, along with plenty of storage inside. —Terri Williams, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025

This includes a sectional sofa, a coffee table, an ottoman with storage, and two storage covers. —Michelle Mastro, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Jan. 2025

Lindsay props her feet up on the ottoman to unwind after her shift at the classic New York pizza eatery Sbarro. —Carlos Greaves, The New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2024

Overhead, a Farol chandelier by Plug Lighting casts a halo over the Sabi table and a bespoke ottoman by Roweam. —Vaishnavi Nayel Talawadekar, Architectural Digest, 22 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

French, adjective & noun, probably from Italian ottomano, from Arabic ʽothmānī, from ʽOthmān Osman I, founder of the Ottoman Empire

First Known Use

Noun

1605, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1546, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

ottoman

1 of 2 noun

ot·​to·​man ˈät-ə-mən 

plural ottomans

1

capitalized : a citizen or government official of the Ottoman Empire

2

: an upholstered footstool

Ottoman

2 of 2 adjective

Ot·​to·​man ˈät-ə-mən 

: of or relating to the Ottoman Empire, its rulers, or its citizens or government officials