A captain's chair can have many definitions, but traditionally it is referred to as a chair that has a vertical support serving as a back rest and horizontal supports serving as arm rests as well. The traditional captains chair is often associated with sea-themed furniture. However, this association is more dependent on the woodworking than actual function of the chair.

In most cases, a captain's chair is a wooden chair. It is often found used in settings with desks and in dining rooms and is also a popular choice in restaurants. In order to be considered a captain's chair, it must have both the arm rests and the back support. Many dining room sets come with a captain's chair and several other chairs, which usually do not classify as captain's chairs because they do not have the accompanying arm rests. Often, in a traditional captain's chair design, the main horizontal line at the top of the chair serving as the peak of arm rest and back rest are the same height.

In more recent times, a captain's chair has come to identify other chairs that have back supports and arm rests that do not meet the definition of having more than two vertical supports. For example, some refer to chairs with fabric stretched between two supports for both the seat and back rest as a captain's chair, as long as it also has arm rests. These may be better referred to as director's chairs, rather than captain's chairs.

The confusion over the term centers around the fact there is no clear definition of what a captain's chair is. Therefore, different marketers or manufacturers may refer to a wide variety of styles as captain's chairs. Adding further to the ambiguity of the captain's chair definition is that it is also the name of a piece of exercise equipment meant to work abdominal areas.

The cost of a captain's chair can vary widely from less than $100 US Dollars (USD) to much more than that. The cost mainly depends on the quality of the chair, the type of wood or other material used in its creation and other factors, such as the type of cushioning, if any. Many will find beautifully ornate captain's chairs sold as antiques from time to time.

Due to its relatively simple construction, the captain's chair design has enjoyed widespread use for centuries. The vertical supports make it a very sturdy chair. In many cases, especially in the old chairs, there may be no cushioning or upholstery at all. This fits the image of a more traditional captain's chair.