chair
- armchair
‘chair’
A chair is a piece of furniture for one person to sit on, with a support for the person's back. When a chair is a very simple one, you say that someone sits on it.
Anne was sitting on an upright chair.
Sit on this chair, please.
When a chair is a comfortable one, you usually say that someone sits in it.
He leaned back in his chair and looked out of the window.
‘armchair’
An armchair is a comfortable chair with a support on each side for your arms. You always say that someone sits in an armchair.
He was sitting quietly in his armchair, smoking a pipe and reading the paper.
chair
- chairperson - chairman - chairwoman
‘chair’ and ‘chairperson’
The person in charge of a meeting or organization is referred to as the chair, or sometimes the chairperson. These words can be used to refer to either a man or a woman.
This is Ruth Michaels, chairperson of the Women Returners' Network.
You should address your remarks to the chair.
‘chairman’
A chairman is a man who is in charge of a meeting or debate.
The vicar, full of apologies, took his seat as chairman.
The male head of an organization is often referred to as its chairman.
Sir John Hill, chairman of the Atomic Energy Authority, gave the opening speech.
‘chairwoman’
In the past, chairman was used to refer to both men and women, but it is now not often used to refer to a woman. The woman in charge of a meeting or organization is sometimes referred to as the chairwoman.
Margaret Downes is this year's chairwoman of the Irish Institute.
Siobhan is a BBC radio journalist, and chairwoman of The Scottish Ballet.