divan

noun

di·​van di-ˈvan  ˈdī-ˌvan 

 especially in senses 1, 2, and 4 also  di-ˈvän,

dī-ˈvan

1

a

: the privy council of the Ottoman Empire

b

: council

2

: a council chamber

3

: a large couch usually without back or arms often designed for use as a bed

4

: a collection of poems in Persian or Arabic usually by one author

Synonyms

• chesterfield
• couch
• davenport
• lounge
• settee
• sofa
• squab

Examples of divan in a Sentence

whenever I stayed over at their house I usually slept on the divan in the living room

Recent Examples on the Web

The divan’s red floral cover dominates the composition, setting off the tangle of thick black outlines and shadows defining her recumbent body. —Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 11 July 2024

The interior includes a side-facing divan, which passengers can convert into a bed. —Daniel Cote, Robb Report, 27 Mar. 2024

Three interior layouts will be available: executive, dual club, and divan. —Daniel Cote, Robb Report, 27 Mar. 2024

In the living room, curtains in yellows, pinks, and reds reminiscent of early autumn hung above a divan dressed with striped lumbar and couch pillows which gallerist Alex Tieghi-Walker would later cover himself with, as his version of being dressed in Le Réunion clothing. —Maria Geyman, Vogue, 29 Nov. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Turkish, from Persian dīvān account book

First Known Use

1586, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

divan

noun

di·​van di-ˈvan  ˈdī-ˌvan 

: a large couch often with no back or arms