lehne

Lehne is a German noun that denotes a backrest or a projecting support on furniture or seats that provides a place to lean against. In everyday language it most often refers to the backrest of a chair, sofa, or bench. A more specific term is Rückenlehne for the backrest as a whole, while Armlehne refers to an armrest. The simple form Lehne can also appear in descriptions of other supporting projections designed to offer backing or a resting surface.

In usage, Lehne is gendered feminine: die Lehne, with plural die Lehnen. Common phrases include eine hohe Lehne (a tall backrest) or eine gepolsterte Lehne (a padded backrest). In car or aircraft interiors, Rücklehne is the typical word for the backrest of the seat, and lies in the same semantic field as Lehne but with a prefix to specify the direction.

Etymologically, Lehne derives from the German verb lehnen, meaning to lean or rest against, reflecting the function of a backrest as something one leans against. The term is widely used in furniture design, carpentry, and interior description, where precise terms like Rückenlehne and Armlehne help distinguish backrests from armrests and other supporting elements.

See also: Rückenlehne, Armlehne, Kopfstütze. In broader contexts, Lehne can appear in descriptions of objects that have supporting edges or surfaces designed to be leaned upon, though such uses are less common than in furniture terminology.