chaise longue: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1/C2Formal to Neutral. Used in furniture, interior design, and lifestyle contexts. More common in written descriptions than everyday speech.
Quick answer
What does “chaise longue” mean?
A long reclining chair or sofa designed for one person, with an extended seat that supports the legs.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A long reclining chair or sofa designed for one person, with an extended seat that supports the legs.
A piece of furniture for lounging or reclining, historically associated with relaxation and repose. In contemporary usage, it can refer to various modern interpretations of the classic form, often used in living rooms, bedrooms, or poolside.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the UK, 'chaise longue' is the standard, correct spelling. In the US, the folk-etymology spelling 'chaise lounge' is extremely common, especially in marketing and casual speech, though 'chaise longue' remains the correct form in formal writing.
Connotations
In both varieties, it connotes sophistication, comfort, and a classic or upscale aesthetic. The American variant 'chaise lounge' is perceived as more informal and commercial.
Frequency
The term is low-frequency in everyday conversation but standard in furniture retail, interior design magazines, and property listings in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “chaise longue” in a Sentence
[Subject] reclined on the chaise longue.The [room] featured a chaise longue.A chaise longue stood [location].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “chaise longue” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The chaise-longue style was popular in the Regency period.
American English
- We're looking for a chaise-lounge look for the patio.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in furniture retail, interior design services, and luxury hospitality marketing.
Academic
Appears in art history, design history, and literature discussing domestic interiors or material culture.
Everyday
Used when describing furniture in a home, planning a room layout, or shopping for furnishings.
Technical
A specific furniture classification in interior design, architecture, and antique cataloguing.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “chaise longue”
- Mispronouncing 'longue' as English 'lounge' (/laʊndʒ/).
- Misspelling as 'chase lounge' or 'chaise lounge' (though the latter is a established variant in US English).
- Using it to refer to a multi-seater sofa.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In American English, 'chaise lounge' is a very common and accepted variant born from folk etymology (reinterpreting 'longue' as 'lounge'). In British English and formal contexts worldwide, 'chaise longue' is the correct French-derived term.
A chaise longue is designed for a single person to recline fully, with an extended seat for the legs. A sofa is primarily for seating multiple people in a more upright position, though some large sofas may have a chaise section.
In British English: /ˌʃeɪz ˈlɒŋ/ (shayz long). In American English: /ˌʃeɪz ˈlɔːŋ/ (shayz long). The 'g' in 'longue' is silent. Avoid pronouncing it as 'lounge'.
While primarily for lounging, some longer or wider chaise longues can function as a temporary daybed for napping. However, they are not typically as supportive as a proper bed for full-night sleep.
A long reclining chair or sofa designed for one person, with an extended seat that supports the legs.
Chaise longue is usually formal to neutral. used in furniture, interior design, and lifestyle contexts. more common in written descriptions than everyday speech. in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “No direct idioms. The phrase is itself a borrowed term.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a LONG CHAIR in a French CHÂTEAU for LOUNGING. 'Chaise Longue' sounds like 'shaze long'—a long chair for a lazy haze.
Conceptual Metaphor
COMFORT IS RECLINING / LEISURE IS HORIZONTAL / LUXURY IS EXTENDED SPACE.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is a common American English variant for 'chaise longue'?