The term ottoman can refer to a type of footstool, a style of silk, or (when capitalized) to the former Turkish empire. These items are named after the caliphate, with the footstool becoming popular in European salons in the 1700s and being first documented in French as ottomane due to its association with eastern European customs. The definition of “silk” followed a similar path and was initially used in the late nineteenth century. The word ottoman ultimately derives from the Arabic masculine proper name Uthman, although further etymology is not readily available. Poets may occasionally use Othman to refer to the people-group, both for accuracy in relation to the original Arabic form and for rhyming or metrical purposes. It is interesting to note that the use of both capitalized and lowercase ottoman has been on the rise recently.
