Furniture
/ˈfɜːr.nɪ.tʃɚ/noun
Movable household objects such as tables, chairs, and beds.
Did you know?Furniture comes through French from a root meaning “to furnish” or “provide,” so the word originally pointed to supplying a place rather than the objects themselves.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*per-
“To furnish, provide, or procure.”
Latin
Latin
fornīre
“To equip, supply, or furnish.”
Old French
Old French
fournir
“To supply, equip, or make ready.”
15th Century
Middle English
furnish
“To provide or equip a place or person.”
17th Century
English
furniture
“The equipment or contents of a house; later, movable household articles.”