Arabic exportsEveryday life

sofa

Arabic ṣuffa, a raised bench or platform spread with carpets and cushions, became the central hall of a Turkish house, and Europe met it through Turkish and French; in English it first meant a Middle Eastern dais and only later the stuffed couch the world now calls sofa.

Weakest linkProbable

The road to English

From Arabic to Persian

From Ottoman Turkish to Turkish

From French to Italian

From French to Spanish

From French to German

From French to Russian

From English to Japanese

From English to Hindi

700 CEArabic

Hops are evenly spaced; labels show the year each form is first attested.

The road to English

Export “sofa”

Embed “sofa”

Save “sofa”

Export “sofa”

Embed “sofa”

Save “sofa”