ottoman

1 of 2

noun

ot·​to·​man ˈä-tə-mən How to pronounce ottoman (audio)
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 How to pronounce Ottoman (audio)
: of or relating to the Ottoman Empire or its citizens

Examples of ottoman in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
This cube ottoman from Arhaus is exactly the sort of detail that ties the room together. Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 1 Apr. 2025 The plane’s handcrafted seats are made of Italian leather, and each seat includes 6.5 feet of personal space with extended legroom and a plush ottoman. Irene S. Levine, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2025 Investigators further discovered a deceased cat on an ottoman that appeared partially burned. Audrey Conklin, Fox News, 6 Mar. 2025 Officers also found the body of a cat on an ottoman in the living room. Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 6 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ottoman

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of ottoman was in 1546

Browse Nearby Words

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ottoman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ottoman. Accessed 10 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

ottoman

1 of 2 noun
ot·​to·​man ˈät-ə-mən How to pronounce ottoman (audio)
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 How to pronounce Ottoman (audio)
: of or relating to the Ottoman Empire, its rulers, or its citizens or government officials

More from Merriam-Webster on ottoman

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!