futon — English Dictionary

Noun

1. A thin mattress of tufted cotton or similar material, placed on a floor or on a raised, foldable frame as a bed.

   Examples

   More examples (1)

   The Japanese bed is the floor, with a wooden box under the neck for a pillow and a futon for a covering. To the foreigner the Japanese landlord allows five or six futons, or cotton-wadded comforters, and they make a tolerable mattress, although not springy, and rather apt to be damp and musty.

   The futon are easily aired, and may be carried about readily when moving.

   Normally one or two futon are laid on tatami, several inches of straw matting recessed into the floor, providing a firm but extremely comfortable night’s rest.

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   Some futon (cotton-filled comforters and mattresses) were piled in one corner and few clothing belonging to father hung on some nails on the wall.

2. A round cushion used for Zen meditation, traditionally made of woven bulrush leaves.

3. A specific kind of sofa-bed, with a fixed cushion that forms a mattress when folded down and a sofa when folded up.

   Examples

   I was 18 years old, sleeping on a futon, cooking on a George Foreman grill and showering at a friend's house every few days.

Noun

1. mattress consisting of a pad of cotton batting that is used for sleeping on the floor or on a raised frame

   Broader terms

   mattress