divan

See also: Divan, díván, and diván

English

WOTD – 30 December 2008

Etymology

Borrowed from French, from Ottoman Turkish دیوان‎ (divan),[1] from Persian ‎ (divân), from Middle Persian dywʾn' (dīwān, “archive; collected writings”), from Sumerian 𒁾 (dub). Compare mattress, from Arabic (both of Middle Eastern origin, due to the local custom of lying on padding on floor being foreign to Europeans). Doublet of dewan, douane, and diwaniya.

Pronunciation

(UK) IPA^(key): /dɪˈvæn/
(US) IPA^(key): /dɪˈvæn/, /ˈdaɪ.væn/
Audio (US) (file)
Rhymes: -æn

Noun

divan (plural divans)

(now historical) A Muslim council of state, specifically that of viziers of the Ottoman Empire that discussed and recommended new laws and law changes to a higher authority (the sultan).
The council chamber where this court is held; (by extension), any court of justice.
(now rare) Any council or assembly.
- 1751, [Tobias] Smollett, chapter 10, in The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle […], volume I, London: Harrison and Co., […], published 1781, OCLC 316121541:
  Startled at such an unaccountable event, they sat in close divan; and concluding that the case was in all respects unnatural and prodigious, desired that a messenger might be immediately dispatched for some male practitioner in the art of midwifery.
- 1792, Thomas Holcroft, Anna St. Ives, vol. VII, letter 118:
  As I passed, I called at the mad-house; where I found Mac Fane and the scowling keeper in high divan.
A couch- or sofa-like piece of furniture made of a mattress lying against the wall and either on the floor or an elevated structure.
- 1932, Maurice Baring, chapter 20, in Friday's Business‎:
  Eurydice pointed to the cupboard, and sat down on the low divan with folded hands, and looked at the floor.
(dated) An establishment that serves cigars and coffee, and may offer other amenities such as books, newspapers, and chess.
- 1838, Παιδἀγωγος, “Cigar divan”, in More Hints on Etiquette, third edition, London: Charles Tilt, OCLC 562633392, page 39:
  These are delightful places, and must be preferred to the cigar shops, if you can afford the extra for coffee, &c. Never sit in a divan, for as these establishments are in imitation of foreign customs, so you should imitate the manners of foreigners, and be as unlike an Englishman as you can; you should therefore lie at full-length on the couches, or "loll" about in some graceful attitude. Should your time be entirely your own, you may remain in the divan the whole day, provided you play at chess; and should you be passionately fond of smoking, you can have smoke at breakfast—smoke at luncheon—smoke at dinner—smoke at tea—smoke at supper
- 1844, E. H. Malcolm, “London coffee-houses and their customers”, in Tegg's Magazine of Knowledge and Amusement, volume 1, OCLC 40142629, page 67:
  The cigar divans of the metropolis are essentially coffee-rooms, but they are of a distingué character, are more expensive in their charges, and more studied, elegant, and luxurious in their appointments and conveniences. […] They are elegantly furnished and appointed, with sofas, or cushioned chairs, numerous handsome tables, and chess and draft-boards. The whole of the London newspapers, and many of the provincial ones, are taken in; as are all the magazines and other periodicals; together with sundry of the French, Italian, and colonial journals. The freedom of the room is obtained by the liquidation of less than a shilling, which includes coffee of the best description, and cigars.
- 1855 January 5, Anthony Trollope, “A Long Day in London”, in The Warden, London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, OCLC 3733389, pages 266–267:
  [H]e asked her if there were any place near where he could get a cup of coffee. Though she did keep a shell-fish supper-house, she was very civil, and directed him to the cigar divan on the other side of the street. Mr. Harding had not a much correcter notion of a cigar divan than he had of a London dinner-house, but he was desperately in want of rest, and went as he was directed.
A collection of poems, especially one written by an author in Arabic or Persian.

Translations

sofa

Albanian: divan (sq) m, kanape (sq) f
Arabic: دِيوَان‎ m (dīwān)
Azerbaijani: divan (az)
Belarusian: кана́па f (kanápa), сафа́ f (safá)
Bulgarian: дива́н (bg) (diván), канапе́ (bg) n (kanapé)
Chinese:
Mandarin: 沙發／沙发 (zh) (shāfā)
Crimean Tatar: divan
Czech: divan (cs) m, sofa (cs) f
Estonian: diivan
Finnish: divaani (fi)
French: divan (fr) m, canapé (fr) m
Georgian: დივანი (ka) (divani)
German: Diwan (de) m
Greek: ντιβάνι (el) n (diváni)
Hungarian: dívány (hu), kerevet (hu)
Indonesian: dipan (id)
Italian: divano (it) m
Japanese: ディヴァン (divan), ソファ (ja) (sofa)
Kazakh: диван (divan)
Korean: 소파 (ko) (sopa)
Kyrgyz: диван (ky) (divan)
Latvian: dīvāns m, sofa f
Macedonian: диван m (divan), софа f (sofa)
Malay: dipan, sofa
Mongolian:
Cyrillic: диван (divan)
Persian: نیمکت‎ (fa) (nimkat)
Polish: tapczan (pl) m
Portuguese: divã (pt) m
Russian: дива́н (ru) m (diván)
Serbo-Croatian:
Cyrillic: дѝва̄н m, со̀фа f
Roman: dìvān (sh) m, sòfa (sh) f
Slovak: diván m, sofa f
Slovene: divan m, zofa f
Spanish: diván (es) m
Tajik: диван (divan), нимкат (nimkat)
Tatar: диван (diwan)
Thai: โซฟา (th) (soo-faa)
Turkish: divan (tr), kanepe (tr)
Turkmen: diwan
Ukrainian: дива́н (uk) m (dyván), софа́ f (sofá), кана́па (uk) f (kanápa)
Uyghur: دىۋان‎ (diwan)
Uzbek: divan (uz)
Vietnamese: đi văng

council

Arabic: دِيوَان‎ m (dīwān)
Armenian: դիվան (hy) (divan)
Belarusian: дыва́н m (dyván)
Bengali: দেওয়ান (bn) (deoyan)
Chinese:
Mandarin: 底萬／底万 (dǐwàn)
Finnish: divaani (fi)
French: divan (fr) m
Georgian: დივანი (ka) (divani)
German: Diwan (de) m
Hindi: दीवान (hi) m (dīvān)
Hungarian: díván (hu)
Indonesian: dewan (id)
Italian: Diwan m
Kazakh: дуан (duan)
Kyrgyz: диван (ky) (divan)
Persian: دیوان‎ (fa) (divân)
Polish: dywan (pl) m
Romanian: divan (ro) n
Russian: дива́н (ru) m (diván)
Spanish: diván (es) m
Tajik: девон (devon)
Tatar: диван (diwan)
Turkish: divan (tr)
Turkmen: diwan
Ukrainian: дива́н (uk) m (dyván)
Urdu: دیوان‎ (ur) m (dīvān)
Uzbek: devon (uz)

collection of poems

Arabic: دِيوَان‎ m (dīwān)
Armenian: դիվան (hy) (divan)
Belarusian: дыва́н m (dyván)
Bengali: দিওয়ান (bn) (dioyan)
Finnish: divaani (fi)
Georgian: დივანი (ka) (divani)
German: Diwan (de) m
Hindi: दीवान (hi) m (dīvān)
Hungarian: díván (hu)
Italian: diwan m
Kazakh: жинақ (jinaq)
Kyrgyz: диван (ky) (divan)
Persian: دیوان‎ (fa) (divân)
Russian: дива́н (ru) m (diván)
Spanish: diván (es) m
Tajik: девон (devon)
Turkish: divan (tr)
Ukrainian: дива́н (uk) m (dyván)
Urdu: دیوان‎ (ur) m (dīvān)
Uzbek: devon (uz)

References

"divan." The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2008.

Anagrams

Davin, Navid, viand

Azerbaijani

Other scripts
Cyrillic		диван
Perso-Arabic		دیوان‎

Etymology

Borrowed from Persian ‎ (divân).

Pronunciation

Audio (file)

Noun

divan (definite accusative divanı, plural divanlar)

divan (council)

Declension

Declension of divan
	singular	plural
nominative	divan	divanlar
definite accusative	divanı	divanları
dative	divana	divanlara
locative	divanda	divanlarda
ablative	divandan	divanlardan
definite genitive	divanın	divanların

Possessive forms of divan
	nominative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	divanım	divanlarım
sənin (“your”)	divanın	divanların
onun (“his/her/its”)	divanı	divanları
bizim (“our”)	divanımız	divanlarımız
sizin (“your”)	divanınız	divanlarınız
onların (“their”)	divanı or divanları	divanları
	accusative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	divanımı	divanlarımı
sənin (“your”)	divanını	divanlarını
onun (“his/her/its”)	divanını	divanlarını
bizim (“our”)	divanımızı	divanlarımızı
sizin (“your”)	divanınızı	divanlarınızı
onların (“their”)	divanını or divanlarını	divanlarını
	dative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	divanıma	divanlarıma
sənin (“your”)	divanına	divanlarına
onun (“his/her/its”)	divanına	divanlarına
bizim (“our”)	divanımıza	divanlarımıza
sizin (“your”)	divanınıza	divanlarınıza
onların (“their”)	divanına or divanlarına	divanlarına
	locative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	divanımda	divanlarımda
sənin (“your”)	divanında	divanlarında
onun (“his/her/its”)	divanında	divanlarında
bizim (“our”)	divanımızda	divanlarımızda
sizin (“your”)	divanınızda	divanlarınızda
onların (“their”)	divanında or divanlarında	divanlarında
	ablative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	divanımdan	divanlarımdan
sənin (“your”)	divanından	divanlarından
onun (“his/her/its”)	divanından	divanlarından
bizim (“our”)	divanımızdan	divanlarımızdan
sizin (“your”)	divanınızdan	divanlarınızdan
onların (“their”)	divanından or divanlarından	divanlarından
	genitive
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	divanımın	divanlarımın
sənin (“your”)	divanının	divanlarının
onun (“his/her/its”)	divanının	divanlarının
bizim (“our”)	divanımızın	divanlarımızın
sizin (“your”)	divanınızın	divanlarınızın
onların (“their”)	divanının or divanlarının	divanlarının

Related terms

əhli-divan

Catalan

Etymology

From Ottoman Turkish دیوان‎ (dîvân), from Persian ‎ (divân), from Middle Persian dywʾn' (dīwān, “archive; collected writings”), from Sumerian 𒁾 (dub).

Pronunciation

(Balearic, Valencian) IPA^(key): /diˈvan/

(Central) IPA^(key): /diˈban/

Noun

divan m (plural divans)

(historical) divan (council, court)
divan (low sofa)

Czech

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [ˈdɪvan]

Noun

divan m

(furniture): divan

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from French divan, from Ottoman Turkish دیوان‎, from Persian ‎.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈdi.vɑn/
Hyphenation: di‧van

Noun

divan m (plural divans)

A divan (piece of furniture).

Derived terms

divanbed
divankleed

Related terms

douane

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Ottoman Turkish دیوان‎ (dîvân), from Persian ‎ (divân).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /di.vɑ̃/
Audio (file)

Noun

divan m (plural divans)

any type of undistinguished couch
a divan in either of the original Turkish senses

Synonyms

(a couch): canapé (Europe), sofa

Descendants

→ English: divan
→ German: Diwan
→ Portuguese: divã

Mauritian Creole

Etymology 1

From French avant.

Alternative forms

avan

Preposition

divan

before
ahead

Etymology 2

From French vent.

Preposition

divan

the wind

References

Baker, Philip & Hookoomsing, Vinesh Y. 1987. Dictionnaire de créole mauricien. Morisyen – English – Français

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from Ottoman Turkish دیوان‎ (dîvân), from Persian ‎ (divân).

Noun

divan n (plural divane)

divan

Declension

Declension of divan

	singular		plural
	indefinite articulation	definite articulation	indefinite articulation	definite articulation
nominative/accusative	(un) divan	divanul	(niște) divane	divanele
genitive/dative	(unui) divan	divanului	(unor) divane	divanelor
vocative	divanule		divanelor

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology 1

From Proto-Slavic *divьnъ.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /dîːʋan/
Hyphenation: di‧van

Adjective

dȋvan (definite dȋvnī, comparative divniji, Cyrillic spelling ди̑ван)

wonderful

Declension

positive indefinite forms

singular		masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative		divan	divna	divno
genitive		divna	divne	divna
dative		divnu	divnoj	divnu
accusative	inanimate animate	divan divna	divnu	divno
vocative		divan	divna	divno
locative		divnu	divnoj	divnu
instrumental		divnim	divnom	divnim
plural		masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative		divni	divne	divna
genitive		divnih	divnih	divnih
dative		divnim(a)	divnim(a)	divnim(a)
accusative		divne	divne	divna
vocative		divni	divne	divna
locative		divnim(a)	divnim(a)	divnim(a)
instrumental		divnim(a)	divnim(a)	divnim(a)

positive definite forms

singular		masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative		divni	divna	divno
genitive		divnog(a)	divne	divnog(a)
dative		divnom(u/e)	divnoj	divnom(u/e)
accusative	inanimate animate	divni divnog(a)	divnu	divno
vocative		divni	divna	divno
locative		divnom(e/u)	divnoj	divnom(e/u)
instrumental		divnim	divnom	divnim
plural		masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative		divni	divne	divna
genitive		divnih	divnih	divnih
dative		divnim(a)	divnim(a)	divnim(a)
accusative		divne	divne	divna
vocative		divni	divne	divna
locative		divnim(a)	divnim(a)	divnim(a)
instrumental		divnim(a)	divnim(a)	divnim(a)

comparative forms

singular		masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative		divniji	divnija	divnije
genitive		divnijeg(a)	divnije	divnijeg(a)
dative		divnijem(u)	divnijoj	divnijem(u)
accusative	inanimate animate	divniji divnijeg(a)	divniju	divnije
vocative		divniji	divnija	divnije
locative		divnijem(u)	divnijoj	divnijem(u)
instrumental		divnijim	divnijom	divnijim
plural		masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative		divniji	divnije	divnija
genitive		divnijih	divnijih	divnijih
dative		divnijim(a)	divnijim(a)	divnijim(a)
accusative		divnije	divnije	divnija
vocative		divniji	divnije	divnija
locative		divnijim(a)	divnijim(a)	divnijim(a)
instrumental		divnijim(a)	divnijim(a)	divnijim(a)

superlative forms

singular		masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative		najdivniji	najdivnija	najdivnije
genitive		najdivnijeg(a)	najdivnije	najdivnijeg(a)
dative		najdivnijem(u)	najdivnijoj	najdivnijem(u)
accusative	inanimate animate	najdivniji najdivnijeg(a)	najdivniju	najdivnije
vocative		najdivniji	najdivnija	najdivnije
locative		najdivnijem(u)	najdivnijoj	najdivnijem(u)
instrumental		najdivnijim	najdivnijom	najdivnijim
plural		masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative		najdivniji	najdivnije	najdivnija
genitive		najdivnijih	najdivnijih	najdivnijih
dative		najdivnijim(a)	najdivnijim(a)	najdivnijim(a)
accusative		najdivnije	najdivnije	najdivnija
vocative		najdivniji	najdivnije	najdivnija
locative		najdivnijim(a)	najdivnijim(a)	najdivnijim(a)
instrumental		najdivnijim(a)	najdivnijim(a)	najdivnijim(a)

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Ottoman Turkish دیوان‎ (dîvân), from Persian ‎ (divân).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /dǐʋaːn/
Hyphenation: di‧van

Noun

dìvān m (Cyrillic spelling дѝва̄н)

divan (furniture)
divan (council)
divan (collection of poems)
(historical) court, tribunal (in Ottoman period)
(regional) conversation, word

Declension

Declension of divan

	singular	plural
nominative	divan	divani
genitive	divana	divana
dative	divanu	divanima
accusative	divan	divane
vocative	divane	divani
locative	divanu	divanima
instrumental	divanom	divanima

Derived terms

divániti

Swedish

Noun

divan c

a divan (piece of furniture)

Declension

Declension of divan
	Singular		Plural
	Indefinite	Definite	Indefinite	Definite
Nominative	divan	divanen	divaner	divanerna
Genitive	divans	divanens	divaners	divanernas

Noun

divan

definite singular of diva.

References

divan in Svensk ordbok (SO)
divan in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
divan in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)

Turkish

Etymology

From Ottoman Turkish دیوان‎ (dîvân), from Persian ‎, from Middle Persian d(p)ywʾn' (dēwān, “archive, collected writings”).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /diːvan/

Noun

divan (definite accusative divanı, plural divanlar)

divan (all senses)

Declension

Inflection

Nominative

divan

Definite accusative

divanı

Singular

Plural

Nominative

divan

divanlar

Definite accusative

divanı

divanları

Dative

divana

divanlara

Locative

divanda

divanlarda

Ablative

divandan

divanlardan

Genitive

divanın

divanların

Possessive forms
Nominative
	Singular	Plural
1st singular	divanım	divanlarım
2nd singular	divanın	divanların
3rd singular	divanı	divanları
1st plural	divanımız	divanlarımız
2nd plural	divanınız	divanlarınız
3rd plural	divanları	divanları
Definite accusative
	Singular	Plural
1st singular	divanımı	divanlarımı
2nd singular	divanını	divanlarını
3rd singular	divanını	divanlarını
1st plural	divanımızı	divanlarımızı
2nd plural	divanınızı	divanlarınızı
3rd plural	divanlarını	divanlarını
Dative
	Singular	Plural
1st singular	divanıma	divanlarıma
2nd singular	divanına	divanlarına
3rd singular	divanına	divanlarına
1st plural	divanımıza	divanlarımıza
2nd plural	divanınıza	divanlarınıza
3rd plural	divanlarına	divanlarına
Locative
	Singular	Plural
1st singular	divanımda	divanlarımda
2nd singular	divanında	divanlarında
3rd singular	divanında	divanlarında
1st plural	divanımızda	divanlarımızda
2nd plural	divanınızda	divanlarınızda
3rd plural	divanlarında	divanlarında
Ablative
	Singular	Plural
1st singular	divanımdan	divanlarımdan
2nd singular	divanından	divanlarından
3rd singular	divanından	divanlarından
1st plural	divanımızdan	divanlarımızdan
2nd plural	divanınızdan	divanlarınızdan
3rd plural	divanlarından	divanlarından
Genitive
	Singular	Plural
1st singular	divanımın	divanlarımın
2nd singular	divanının	divanlarının
3rd singular	divanının	divanlarının
1st plural	divanımızın	divanlarımızın
2nd plural	divanınızın	divanlarınızın
3rd plural	divanlarının	divanlarının

Derived terms

divanı harp (“court martial”)

[1] "divan." The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2008.

divan

English

Etymology

Pronunciation

Noun

Translations

References

Anagrams

Azerbaijani

Etymology

Pronunciation

Noun

Declension

Related terms

Catalan

Etymology

Pronunciation

Noun

Further reading

Czech

Pronunciation

Noun

See also

Further reading

Dutch

Etymology

Pronunciation

Noun

Derived terms

Related terms

French

Etymology

Pronunciation

Noun

Synonyms

Descendants

Further reading

Mauritian Creole

Etymology 1

Alternative forms

Preposition

Etymology 2

Preposition

References

Romanian

Etymology

Noun

Declension

See also

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

Adjective

Declension

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

Noun

Declension

Derived terms

Swedish

Noun

Declension

Noun

References

Turkish

Etymology

Pronunciation

Noun

Declension

Derived terms