Ottoman
Americanadjective
-
of or relating to the Ottoman Empire.
-
of or relating to the lands, peoples, and possessions of the Ottoman Empire.
noun
plural
Ottomans-
a Turk.
-
a Turk of the family or tribe of Osman.
-
(lowercase) a cushioned footstool.
-
(lowercase) a low cushioned seat without back or arms.
-
(lowercase) a kind of divan or sofa, with or without a back.
-
(lowercase) a corded silk or rayon fabric with large cotton cord for filling.
noun
-
-
a low padded seat, usually armless, sometimes in the form of a chest
-
a cushioned footstool
-
-
a corded fabric
adjective
-
history of or relating to the Ottomans or the Ottoman Empire
-
denoting or relating to the Turkish language
noun
Other Word Forms
- Ottomanlike adjective
Etymology
Origin of Ottoman
1575–85; < French < Italian ottomano, after the founder of the empire ( Arabic ʿuthmān ); Ottoman defs. 5, 6, 7, 8 < French ottomane (feminine)
Explanation
Your dad's favorite cushioned spot to rest his feet can be referred to as an ottoman — it's also known as a hassock or a footstool. This word may conjure anything from a vast empire to a footstool — it's all the same word, ultimately from the Arabic personal name Othman (which loses a lot, soundwise, in translation). The puffy footstools known as ottomans were allegedly originally a component of said empire's comforts.
Vocabulary lists containing ottoman
The Ottoman Empire: Furniture Words
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Dear Martin
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Help
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The tiles were on a panel by the tomb of Ottoman Sultan Selim II in the garden of the Hagia Sophia.
From Barron's • Mar. 20, 2026
Turkey is now seeking the repatriation of other antiquities taken during the Ottoman era: an ancient marble torso called the "Old Fisherman" from Berlin, and dozens of Iznik tiles held at France's Louvre museum.
From Barron's • Mar. 20, 2026
And so we learn about the various mainstream caliphates over the centuries, the Umayyads and the Abbasids, and ultimately the Ottoman sultan-caliphs based in Istanbul who took on the role of “God’s shadow on earth.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026
She says it is now clear that the library's archive - seen as an invaluable record of Palestinian history, with many Ottoman records - was totally burned.
From BBC • Dec. 4, 2025
It bears no sign that it was once pierced with an Ottoman dagger.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
![]()
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.