a side chair of the Renaissance, consisting of a small seat, usually octagonal, often resting on a cubical part and supported either on two carved planks set transversely on edge or on three legs, with a back formed from a carved plank.
Origin: 1955–60; < It < L scabellum footstool, var. of scabillum, dim. of scamnum stool, bench (< *scabh-nom)