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 Sebastian line comes in 13 additional sizes and iterations, ranging in price from $619 for an ottoman to $4,119 for a sectional. —Rachel Wallace, Architectural Digest, 3 Sep. 2025

For the designer, that meant pairing a Reid Classics four-poster bed draped in Lisa Fine Textiles’ Calico Floral Stripe with a white Sherpa chair from The Home Depot and a colorful pouf ottoman from HomeGoods. —Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 24 Aug. 2025

This ottoman serves as both a seat and a footrest, and its removable top provides space to store blankets, bedding, and more. —Jacqueline Tempera, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Aug. 2025

This velvet ottoman from Kelly Clarkson’s Wayfair collection does just that. —Rachel Trujillo, People.com, 16 Aug. 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