A settee is an upholstered seat with a back and arms, designed to accommodate two or more people in a sitting or reclining position. It is generally a smaller version of a sofa that sits on raised legs and often has a high back. Settees came about in the 1700s and served a key seating function, and were historically more formal, smaller sofas that eventually evolved to be what we know today as the sofa. The word settee comes from the Old English word setl, which was used to describe long benches with high backs and arms, but is now generally used to describe small upholstered seating structures.

Some key differences between a settee and a sofa include:

• Size: Settees are generally smaller than sofas, and are designed to accommodate two or more people in a sitting or reclining position.
• Back and arms: Settees always feature a back and sometimes arms, while some loveseats are backless and feature lower backs.
• Function: Settees are historically more formal and are not meant to be a loungey piece, but rather a perch upon which to sit alone or with another person.

Overall, a settee is a type of upholstered seat that is smaller than a sofa and often has a high back and raised legs.