The most common way to say "pillow" in French is oreiller. It's the word you'll learn in any beginner's French class. But what about the decorative cushion on your sofa, or a bolster pillow for your bed? Just like in English, French has a variety of words for different types of pillows and cushions.

As you furnish your French vocabulary, you'll want to know the right term for the right context, whether you're shopping for bedding or just trying to get comfortable.

Let’s explore 9 different ways to say "pillow" in French, from the bedroom to the living room!

The standard 'pillow' (for sleeping) – un oreiller

The standard 'pillow' (for sleeping) – un oreiller

Un oreiller is the primary and most common French word for the pillow you sleep on in your bed. Its name comes from the word for ear, oreille, because it's where you rest your ear at night.

Oreiller is a masculine noun. Therefore, you will always see it with masculine articles:

un oreiller - a pillow
l'oreiller - the pillow
des oreillers - some pillows
les oreillers - the pillows

The word oreiller is used almost exclusively for pillows intended for sleeping. You'll find it in the context of bedrooms, bedding (la literie), and hotels. It refers to the rectangular or square cushion you put your head on.

This is a key distinction for French learners. While an oreiller is for sleeping, a decorative pillow you find on a sofa or armchair is called un coussin. Using oreiller to describe a couch pillow is a common mistake.

The rule is simple and has very few exceptions:

If it's for your head on a bed for sleeping, it's un oreiller.
If it's for decoration or back support on a sofa, chair, or even on top of a made bed, it's un coussin (a cushion or throw pillow).

To expand your vocabulary, the word for a pillowcase is une taie d'oreiller. A bolster pillow, the long cylindrical type, is called un traversin.

💡 * J'ai besoin d'un nouvel oreiller, celui-ci est trop plat.

Préfères-tu les oreillers en plumes ou en mousse à mémoire de forme ?

N'oublie pas de mettre une taie d'oreiller propre.

L'hôtel fournit deux oreillers par personne.

The 'cushion' (for a sofa or chair) – un coussin

To talk about a 'cushion' in French, typically one found on a sofa or chair, you use the word un coussin. This is a masculine noun, which is important for agreeing articles and adjectives, for example, le coussin (the cushion) or un coussin moelleux (a soft cushion).

The primary use of un coussin refers to a decorative or comfort-providing pad used on furniture. It's the French equivalent of a 'throw pillow' or 'cushion' you would place on a couch, armchair, or even a hard bench to make it more comfortable.

A common point of confusion for learners is the difference between un coussin and un oreiller. While both are soft, un oreiller specifically means a 'pillow' for sleeping on in a bed. You have des coussins on your sofa, but you sleep on un oreiller at night.

In the context of home life and decoration, coussins are a staple. You might hear someone say they want to changer les housses de coussin (change the cushion covers) to refresh the look of a room. They are as much a part of French interior design as they are in many other cultures.

💡 * J'ai acheté de nouveaux coussins pour mon canapé.

Ce coussin est très confortable pour s'asseoir.

Le chat adore dormir sur le gros coussin rouge.

Peux-tu me passer ce coussin, s'il te plaît ?

The long, cylindrical 'bolster pillow' – un traversin

A unique and traditional element of French bedding is the traversin, the French word for a long, cylindrical bolster pillow.

Unlike a standard pillow (un oreiller), un traversin is a single, tube-shaped cushion that typically spans the entire width of the bed. It's designed to be placed against the headboard.

You'll commonly find a traversin in French homes and many traditional hotels. It's considered a standard part of the bed setup, often used for back support when reading or sitting up in bed.

The word traversin is a masculine noun. Therefore, you always refer to it as un traversin (a bolster pillow) or le traversin (the bolster pillow).

While some people sleep directly on it, it's very common for French people to place their regular square or rectangular pillows (des oreillers) in front of the traversin for extra height and comfort.

💡 * Je ne peux pas dormir sans mon traversin.

L'hôtel fournit un grand traversin et deux oreillers.

Cette taie d'oreiller est pour le traversin, pas pour l'oreiller carré.

Tu préfères un traversin ou juste des oreillers ?

The 'travel pillow' (for neck support) – un oreiller de voyage

For a 'travel pillow' specifically designed for neck support, the most direct and common French term is un oreiller de voyage.

Let's break down the phrase. Oreiller means 'pillow' and the modifier de voyage means 'of travel' or 'for travel.' Together, it literally translates to a 'pillow of travel,' clearly indicating its purpose.

The word oreiller is a masculine noun. Therefore, you must use masculine articles and possessive adjectives like un (a), le (the), or mon (my). For example, you would say, 'J'ai besoin d'un oreiller de voyage'.

You might also hear the term un coussin de voyage ('travel cushion') or un tour de cou ('neck wrap/ring'), which often refer to the same U-shaped pillow. However, oreiller de voyage remains the most standard and widely understood term.

💡 * J'ai acheté un oreiller de voyage pour notre vol vers Paris. (I bought a travel pillow for our flight to Paris.)

N'oublie pas ton oreiller de voyage, le trajet en train est long. (Don't forget your travel pillow, the train ride is long.)

Cet oreiller de voyage à mémoire de forme est très confortable. (This memory foam travel pillow is very comfortable.)

Où puis-je trouver un bon oreiller de voyage ? (Where can I find a good travel pillow?)

The informal 'bolster' – un polochon

The informal 'bolster' – un polochon

Un polochon is the French word for a bolster, a long, cylindrical pillow often placed across the head of a bed.

This word is strongly associated with playful pillow fights, known in French as batailles de polochons. This connection gives the term a fun, informal, and slightly nostalgic connotation for many native speakers.

Remember that polochon is a masculine noun. Therefore, you always use masculine articles and adjectives with it, such as un polochon or le polochon.

There's also a common expression, être mou comme un polochon, which literally means 'to be soft/limp like a bolster.' It's used to describe someone who is lethargic, lazy, or lacking energy.

💡 * Les enfants ont organisé une grande bataille de polochons. (The children organized a big pillow fight.)

J'ai acheté un polochon pour remplacer mes vieux oreillers. (I bought a bolster to replace my old pillows.)

Après le marathon, il était mou comme un polochon. (After the marathon, he was completely wiped out.)

Mon lit est plus confortable avec un polochon. (My bed is more comfortable with a bolster.)

The 'throw pillow' or 'decorative cushion' – un coussin décoratif

In French, the term for a 'throw pillow' or 'decorative cushion' is quite literal: un coussin décoratif. This translates directly and is the standard term used in home decor and everyday conversation.

The phrase consists of two parts: un coussin, which means 'a cushion', and décoratif, the adjective for 'decorative'. It's crucial to distinguish un coussin from un oreiller, which is specifically the pillow you sleep on in a bed.

The noun coussin is masculine. Therefore, you must use the masculine form of the adjective. The singular is un coussin décoratif, and the plural is des coussins décoratifs. The 'f' in décoratif remains in the masculine plural form.

You will encounter this term most often when shopping for home goods, discussing interior design, or describing a living room or bedroom. It's a straightforward vocabulary item without any slang or informal variations.

💡 * J'ai acheté de nouveaux coussins décoratifs pour le canapé.

Ce coussin décoratif en velours est très doux.

Où est-ce que je peux trouver des housses pour coussins décoratifs ?

Elle a ajouté plusieurs coussins décoratifs colorés pour égayer la pièce.

The 'headrest' (in a vehicle or on a chair) – un appui-tête

The French word for a 'headrest' is un appui-tête. It's a masculine compound noun formed from the verb appuyer (to support/rest) and the noun tête (head), literally meaning a 'head-support'.

Being a compound noun, its plural form can be tricky. The correct plural is des appuis-tête. Only the first part of the word, appui, takes the plural 's', while tête remains singular.

This term is most commonly used when referring to the features of a vehicle (car, plane, bus) or specific types of furniture like an office chair or a reclining armchair.

💡 * Veuillez régler votre appui-tête pour plus de confort. (Please adjust your headrest for more comfort.)

La voiture est équipée d'appuis-tête à l'avant et à l'arrière. (The car is equipped with headrests in the front and back.)

Mon fauteuil de bureau a un appui-tête réglable. (My office chair has an adjustable headrest.)

The 'small cushion' or 'pad' – un coussinet

The “small cushion” or “pad” – un coussinet

The masculine noun un coussinet is the diminutive form of un coussin (a cushion). It refers to any small, soft pad designed for protection, comfort, or a specific function.

Its most common and recognizable use is for describing the soft pads on an animal's paws. For example, les coussinets d'un chat means “a cat's paw pads.” This is a key vocabulary word for pet owners.

Beyond animals, the term applies to many objects, such as a coussinet d'encre (ink pad), coussinets d'allaitement (nursing pads), or even mechanical components like bearing pads.

💡 * Le chat a un petit coussinet rose sous chaque patte.

J'ai besoin d'un nouveau coussinet encreur pour mon tampon.

Le chien s'est blessé au coussinet en marchant sur du verre.

Les coussinets de mon casque audio sont usés.

1. The 'inflatable pillow' – un oreiller gonflable

The French term for 'inflatable pillow' is un oreiller gonflable. This phrase is a direct and literal translation, combining un oreiller (a pillow) and the adjective gonflable (inflatable).

In French, oreiller is a masculine noun, hence the use of the masculine article un. The adjective gonflable follows the noun, which is standard for descriptive adjectives in French. Because gonflable already ends in an '-e', its form remains the same for both masculine and feminine nouns.

This term is commonly used when discussing travel, camping, or pool accessories. Whether you're buying a travel pillow for a long flight or a float for the beach, un oreiller gonflable is the precise term you would use.

The action of inflating is gonfler. For example, "I need to inflate the pillow" is Je dois gonfler l'oreiller. The opposite action, deflating, is dégonfler.

💡 * J'ai acheté un oreiller gonflable pour le camping.

Peux-tu me prêter ta pompe pour gonfler mon oreiller ?

Cet oreiller gonflable est très pratique pour les longs voyages en avion.

Après la baignade, il faut dégonfler l'oreiller.

Are there other ways to say 'pillow' in French?

Our guide has covered the most essential words for 'pillow' in French, mainly oreiller for sleeping and coussin for decoration. But French, like any language, has a rich vocabulary with regional and informal variations.

You can expand your vocabulary by searching online for terms like 'comment dire oreiller en français québécois' to discover how French speakers in different parts of the world might refer to a pillow.

When you find a new synonym for oreiller or coussin, it's always a good idea to check its definition and see how it's used in context. Is it for a bed? A sofa? Is it old-fashioned? This will help you use it correctly.

As you watch French movies, read books, or listen to native speakers, pay attention to household items. You might hear different words for pillows and other common objects, which is a great way to learn naturally.

If you want to explore more related vocabulary, like 'pillowcase' (taie d'oreiller) or other types of cushions, the WordReference entries for oreiller and coussin are excellent resources.

We hope this guide has helped you rest easy with your new French vocabulary. Understanding these nuances is a big step in making your French sound more natural. Bonne nuit et faites de beaux rêves ! (Good night and sweet dreams!)

'9 ways to say "pillow" in French'