taboret

furniture

Also known as: tabouret

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Article History

Also spelled:: tabouret

Related Topics:: stool

See all related content

taboret, type of armless and backless seat or stool. Early taborets were probably named for their cylindrical shape, which resembled a drum (Old French: tabour).

The name acquired a more specialized meaning in France in the late 17th century, when it referred to upholstered stools provided at the palace of Versailles for the more privileged ladies of the court of Louis XIV to sit upon in the royal presence. A lady’s rank dictated the level of decoration lavished upon her taboret. In the following century taborets of various designs became fashionable as household furniture, particularly in France and England.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Kathleen Kuiper.