Fanback

/ˈfænbæk/ noun

Definition

A type of chair or bench with a back that spreads out in a fan-like shape.

Etymology

Compound word from 'fan' (the spreading tool or shape) plus 'back' (the rear support of a chair). The term describes the distinctive shape where the back of the furniture radiates outward like an open fan.

Kelly Says

Fan-back chairs became wildly popular in 18th-century Windsor chairs, and the design was so practical—spreading the wood thinner distributed weight better—that it's still used in modern furniture design today.

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