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

Original price: $2,539 This modern modular sectional sofa has a large ottoman and seven toss pillows. —Nora Colomer May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 26 Apr. 2025

An Executive package that upgrades the rear seats and adds a passenger-side ottoman will also be available. —Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 24 Apr. 2025

Martha Stewart Ellen Striped Upholstered Ottoman This upholstered ottoman serves so many purposes — in addition to just looking good. —Megan Schaltegger, People.com, 6 Apr. 2025

An upholstered ottoman need not be pulling out all the stops—sometimes a small, simple detail will set it apart. —Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 1 Apr. 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