chaise lounge
English edit
Etymology edit
American alteration of French chaise longue (literally “long chair”), due to a conflation with English lounge (the term, of uncertain etymology, is possibly a distant cognate of French long); attested from 19th century.
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
chaise lounge (plural chaise lounges)
- (US) Synonym of chaise longue
- 1921, Booth Tarkington, Harlequin and Columbine[1]:
- Old Tinker, in evening dress, sat uncomfortably, sideways, upon the edge of a wicker and brocade “chaise lounge,” finishing a tiny glass of chartreuse, while Talbot Potter, in the middle of the room, took leave of a second guest who had been dining with him.
Usage notes edit
- Generally accepted in the US.
- The original chaise longue is preferred in the United Kingdom.
References edit
- Michael Quinion (1996–2024) “Chaise lounge”, in World Wide Words.