Sofa vs couch

There is not much difference between a sofa and a couch. The two are quite similar but where there are comparisons there are variations too.

Some people think they are synonyms of each other however, they are not there are specific things which differentiate the two from each other.

What is the contrast between a sofa and a couch?

Some of us have a subconscious thought which thinks that a couch is more casual compared to a sofa but if you ask designers, they will help you understand the difference.

So, the question is: Is a couch more causal than a sofa? Does a sofa feel different to a couch? We are here to help you get the answers to all your questions.

There isn’t much difference between them, but the differences do exist so keep this in mind when you are looking around for a sofa or a couch.

What is a couch?

A couch is from the French dictionary, the term means to lie down or to rest. The meaning does contradict the way a couch or a sofa is used as they are both for relaxing time. A couch is a bit more casual compared to a sofa, though.

The phrase couch is from the French word ‘Couche’. The word couch is used to describe a furniture piece with no arms but used for laying down on and relaxing on. However, it does seem unordinary to see sofas without arms nowadays.

What is a Sofa?

The word sofa comes from the Arabic vocabulary, there is a word in Arabic called ‘suffah’. ‘Suffah’ describes as a wooden seat covered with cushions and throws.

Sofas seat 4 or more individuals compared to a couch which mostly seats 2 to 3 people, this is why sofas are better for people who have family and friends over for occasions.

So, overall couches are smaller compared to sofas. Couches are for lying down on and relaxing on. Sofas are larger compared to couches and are for taking a seat on.

Sofa vs Couch vs Settee

You might have also, heard a settee being used to define a sofa, but there are a couple of key differences between the two.

The word 'settee' is taken from the Old English word 'setl', which was used to define a long bench with a high-level back and arms. These days this settee word is generally used in England to describe more formal padded seating.

A settee is basically a more formal type of sofa. It isn't usually designed for lounging on and is more aimed at sitting on for short periods of time to provide seating for guests in your home and for social purposes.