méridienne

[ muh-rid-ee-en, muh-rid-ee-en; French mey-ree-dyen ]

noun

, French Furniture.

, plural mé·ri·di·ennes [m, uh, -rid-ee-, enz, m, uh, -, rid, -ee-enz, mey-, r, ee-, dyen].

1. a short sofa of the Empire period, having arms of unequal height connected by a back with a sloping top.

Word History and Origins

Origin of méridienne¹

< French, special use of feminine of méridien meridian (adj.)

Example Sentences

Here’s just a fragment from one of hers: “a meridienne, banquette, pouf, ottoman, ear, stile, cross rail, stretcher, cross stretcher, crinoline stretcher, cornice, top rail, diamond point.”

From New York Times

For example, he gayly renamed Monument Place the Place de la Concorde, assuring her that the southward vista in the Rue de la Méridienne, disclosing the lamp-bestarred terrace of the new Federal Building, and the electric torches of the Monument beyond, was highly reminiscent of Paris.

From Project Gutenberg

"Representez-vous le convent de l'Escurial ou du Mont Cassin, ou les cenobites ont toutes sortes de commodities, necessaires, utiles, delectables. superflues, surabondantes, puisqu'ils ont les cent cinquante mille, les quatre cent mille, les cinq cent mille ecus de rente; et jugez si monsieur l'abbe a de quoi laisser dormir la meridienne a ceux qui voudront."

From Project Gutenberg