What is chair? How to use in English

Discover the meaning of chair in English, its pronunciation, and how to use it correctly in real-life situations. See examples and easy memorization tips.

Definition & pronunciation of chair

chairnoun
ghế
/tʃɛː/

Definition & pronunciation of <strong>chair</strong>

Where does the word chair come from?

The word "chair" has its origins in Old English. It comes from the word "cear", which referred to a piece of furniture for sitting. This Old English word is derived from the Proto-Germanic word "*kiziz", which is also the source of the Modern German word "Kiste", meaning coffer or chest. The Proto-Germanic word is thought to be imitative of the sound of sitting down or being seated. This onomatopoeic origin is also seen in other languages, such as the Latin "sedere", meaning to sit. Over time, the spelling and meaning of "chair" have evolved to encompass not just a simple stool or seat, but a wide range of furniture designed for sitting, from formal thrones to casual lounge chairs. Despite its etymological roots in sound and movement, the modern word "chair" has come to represent a fixed object, often a hub of comfort and conversation.

Vocabulary summary chair

type noun

meaning chair

example to take a chair

meaning university professor

meaning mayor

example past (above) the chair: was mayor before

example below the chair

type transitive verb

meaning elect as chairman, elect as chairman

example to take a chair

meaning to put on a palanquin, to put on a chair and carry (the winner of a contest or elected in an election)

meaning chair (a meeting)

example past (above) the chair: was mayor before

example below the chair

Example of vocabulary chairnamespace

a piece of furniture for one person to sit on, with a back, a seat and four legs

a table and chairs
Sit on your chair!
an old man asleep in a chair (= an armchair)
She was sitting in her favourite chair.
He sighed and leaned back in his chair.

the position of being in charge of a meeting or committee; the person who holds this position

Who is in the chair today?
All remarks should be addressed to the chair.
She takes the chair in all our meetings.
the chair of the committee
He was elected chair of the city council.

the position of being in charge of a department in a university; a special position as a university professor

He holds the chair of philosophy at Oxford.
the department chair
She was awarded a personal chair in black history at Bath Spa University (= she was made a professor without being head of a department).

(especially in the US) a chair in which criminals are killed by having a powerful electric current passed through their bodies; the method of execution that uses this chair