Futon

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈfuːtɒn/

Definitions

1. A bedding option that features a thin mattress on a frame and can be utilized for both lying down and sitting up
2. A type of thin mattress designed to fold up, serving as both a bed and a couch
3. A lightweight mattress that can be easily folded and used for sitting or sleeping

Etymology: The futon began its life in China as a round cushion for sitting. Its Middle Chinese name, "bu dwan," joined "bu," meaning bulrush or cattail, with "dwan," meaning a sphere or round object, because the original cushion was a woven bulrush disc used for meditation. The Japanese adopted the word as "futon" and applied it to bedding, and English later borrowed it from Japanese. The surprise lies in the shape. The word's first sense was a round seat, and the flat, folding bed it names today is a later development. Japanese sleeping mats gradually became the thing English speakers picture when they hear it, so a word that once described a cushion for meditation now names a mattress laid on the floor or folded away against a wall.

Synonyms: mattress, bed