bedstead
|bed-stead|
/ˈbɛd.stiːd/
frame of a bed
Etymology
'bedstead' originates from Old English, specifically the word 'bedstede', where 'bed' meant 'bed' and 'stede' meant 'place'.
'bedstead' changed from Old English word 'bedstede' and eventually became the modern English word 'bedstead'.
Initially, it meant 'bed-place' (a place for sleeping or the bed itself), but over time it evolved to refer more specifically to the 'framework or base of a bed'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the framework or base of a bed (the structure that supports a mattress).
The old bedstead creaked every time she turned over.
Synonyms
Noun 2
(archaic) A bed or sleeping place (the bed itself, including its fittings).
In earlier times, the farmer slept upon a simple bedstead of straw.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/28 23:08