English · Word Candidate

sofa

/ˈsəʊ̯fə/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: sofas · sofaing · sofaed

Sense 1

Meaning · English

An upholstered seat with a raised back and one or two raised ends, long enough to comfortably accommodate two or more people.

Noun

Examples

He bought a big sofa two days before his relatives arrived.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

To furnish with one or more sofas.

Verb

Examples

The appearance of a student's apartment, though by no means splendid, is decidedly comfortable ; it is well cushioned and sofaed, with a proper proportion of arm chairs, and a general air of respectability — much better on the whole than our student's rooms ever are.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Meaning · English

To seat or lay down on a sofa.

Verb

Examples

Cliques of three or more are formed, each member of which goes in search of victims, and the first female found complaining of pain in the lower part of her back, is immediately run down, corralled, cornered, so to speak, and sans ceremonie she is at once tabled, sofaed or beded, or in the absence o

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 4

Meaning · English

A slave soldier who served in the army of the Mali Empire.

Noun

Examples

1884 Sofas conquer northern Sierra Leone. The sofas were soldiers of Mandinka empire builder, Samori Turay. Falaba, capital of Solima Yalunka kingdom, destroyed in the process.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “sofa” mean?

An upholstered seat with a raised back and one or two raised ends, long enough to comfortably accommodate two or more people.

Is “sofa” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.