upholster

/əˈpɒl.stə(ɹ)/

ƏPⱰL · stə(ɹ) (2 syllables)

English Verb

Definition

To fit padding, stuffing, springs, webbing and fabric covering to (furniture).

Etymology

Back-formation from upholsterer (“tradesman who finishes furniture”), from Middle English upholdester, variant of Middle English upholder (“dealer in small goods”), from upholden (“to repair, uphold”); equivalent to uphold + -ster. Sense development as well as form may have been influenced by conflation with unrelated bolster.