Seat Explained

A seat is a place to sit. The term may encompass additional features, such as back, armrest, head restraint but also headquarters in a wider sense.

Types of seat

The following are examples of different kinds of seat:

• Armchair, a chair equipped with armrests
• Airline seat, for passengers in an aircraft
• Bar stool, a high stool used in bars and many houses
• Bench, a long hard seat
• Bicycle seat, a saddle on a bicycle
• Car seat, a seat in an automobile
• Cathedra, a seat for a bishop located in a cathedral
• Chair, a seat with a back
• Chaise longue, a soft chair with leg support
• Couch, a long soft seat
• Ejection seat, rescue seat in an aircraft
• Folding seat
• Hard seat
• Infant car seat, for a small child in a car
• Jump seat, auxiliary seat in a vehicle
• Pew, a long seat in a church, synagogue, or courtroom
• Saddle, a type of seat used on the backs of animals, bicycles, lap etc.
• Sliding seat, in a rowing boat
• Sofa, alternative name for couch
• Stool, a seat with no armrests or back
• Throne, a seat for a monarch
• Wheelchair, a movable seat intended for disabled people

Etymology

The word seat comes from Middle English sete, Old English gesete/geseten and/or sǣte seat, sittan to sit. Possibly related to or cognate with Old Norse sæti. The first known use of the word seat is in the 13th century.^[1]

Ergonomics

For someone seated, the 'buttock popliteal' length is the horizontal distance from the rearmost part of the buttocks to the back of the lower leg.^[2] This anthropometric measurement is used to determine seat depth. Mass-produced chairs typically use a depth of 15to.^[3]

See also

• Chair
• Seating assignment
• Seating capacity

Notes and References

1. Seat. Merriam Webster. 18 May 2012.
2. Web site: Anthropometry. City University of Hong Kong. 1 September 2018.
3. Web site: Ergonomics and Design, a Reference Guide. www.ehs.oregonstate.edu. Oregon State University. Scott Openshaw and Erin Taylor. 2006. 19 October 2022.