Dictionary

divan en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈdaɪ.væn/ (US)
• /dɪˈvæn/ (UK)
• /dɪˈvæn/ (US)

Etymology

Borrowed from French, from Ottoman Turkish دیوان (divan), from Classical Persian دیوان (dēwān), from Middle Persian d(p)ywʾn' (dēwān, “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.

Meanings

1. (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).
2. The council chamber where this court is held; (by extension), any court of justice.
3. (archaic) Any council or assembly.
   • 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. 1751, [Tobias] Smollett, The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle […], volume (please specify |volume=I to IV), London: Harrison and Co., […], →OCLC:
   • As I passed, I called at the mad-house; where I found Mac Fane and the scowling keeper in high divan. 1792, Thomas Holcroft, Anna St. Ives, vol. VII, letter 118:
4. A couch or sofa-like piece of furniture made of a mattress lying against the wall and on either the floor or an elevated structure.
   • Eurydice pointed to the cupboard, and sat down on the low divan with folded hands, and looked at the floor. 1932, Maurice Baring, chapter 20, in Friday's Business:
5. (dated) An establishment that serves cigars and coffee, and may offer other amenities such as books, newspapers, and chess.
   • [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. 1855 January 5, Anthony Trollope, “A Long Day in London”, in The Warden, London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC, pages 266–267:
   • Near-synonym: smoking room
   • 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. 1844, E. H. Malcolm, “London coffee-houses and their customers”, in Tegg's Magazine of Knowledge and Amusement, volume 1, →OCLC, page 67:
   • 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 1838, Παιδἀγωγος [Paidagōgos], “Cigar divan”, in More Hints on Etiquette, 3rd edition, London: Charles Tilt, →OCLC, page 39:
6. (Hong-Kong, dated) An establishment that serves cigars and coffee, and may offer other amenities such as books, newspapers, and chess. ▸ A drug or cigarette den.
   • During the operation, the Hong Kong Police Force conducted searches at about 1,700 locations, neutralising over 800 gambling dens, vice establishments, divans and unlicensed bars. 2025 November 7, “4.1k arrested in anti-crime operation”, in news.gov.hk:
   • No person shall open, keep, manage or assist in the management of a divan where a dangerous drug is sold in the divan to be smoked, inhaled, ingested or injected therein; […] (Can we date this quote?), “Divan keeping”, in Cap. 134 Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, section 35:
7. A collection of poems, especially one written by an author in Arabic or Persian.

Forms

Deriveds

divaned · divan bed

Synonyms

smoking room · smoking room

Translations (140)

be кана́па (sofa) · sh со̀фа (sofa) · fa-ira کاناپِه (sofa) · fa-ira دیوان (collection of poems) · it diwan (collection of poems) · ko 디반 (council) · he דיוואן (collection of poems) · be сафа́ (sofa) · tk diwan (sofa) · ko 디반 (collection of poems) · sq divan (sofa) · ru дива́н (sofa) · sq kanape (sofa) · sk sofa (sofa) · pt divã (sofa) · de Diwan (sofa) · es diván (council) · ms sofa (sofa) · sq divan (council) · bn দেওয়ান (council) · sl zofa (sofa) · tt диван (collection of poems) · az divan (council) · lv sofa (sofa) · ms dewan (sofa) · ko 디반 (sofa) · ja ソファ (sofa) · be дыва́н (council) · id dipan (sofa) · tg нимкат (sofa) · ru дива́н (council) · ug دىۋان (sofa) · lv dīvāns (sofa) · ro divan (council) · bn দিওয়ান (collection of poems) · tg диван (sofa) · cmn 沙發 /沙发 (sofa) · hu kerevet (sofa) · ko 소파 (sofa) · tt диван (sofa) · fi divaani (sofa) · vi đi văng (sofa) · ar دِيوَان (collection of poems) · prs دیوَان (council) · hu díván (collection of poems) · kk диван (sofa) · alt диван (sofa) · fa-ira نیمْکَت (sofa) · az divan (collection of poems) · cs divan (sofa) · ky диван (council) · sh дѝва̄н (sofa) · fi divaani (council) · prs دیوَان (collection of poems) · pl tapczan (sofa) · th โซฟา (sofa) · ar دِيوَان (council) · de Diwan (council) · es diván (collection of poems) · ms dipan (sofa) · tk diwan (council) · fa-ira تَخْت (sofa) · ka დივანი (council) · be дыва́н (collection of poems) · ka დივანი (sofa) · pl dywan (council) · mn диван (sofa) · uz devon (collection of poems) · el ντιβάνι (collection of poems) · lt divanas (sofa) · ug دىۋان (collection of poems) · cs díván (collection of poems) · sh sòfa (sofa) · ar دِيوَان (sofa) · sk diván (sofa) · et diivan (sofa) · cmn 底萬 /底万 (council) · ug دىۋان (council) · ps ديوان (council) · kk жинақ (collection of poems) · hi दीवान (collection of poems) · it divano (sofa) · mk софа (sofa) · sq divan (collection of poems) · ja ディヴァン (council) · uz devon (council) · bg канапе́ (sofa) · ur دِیوان (collection of poems) · bg дива́н (sofa) · ja ディヴァン (collection of poems) · pt divã (collection of poems) · hu díván (council) · uk дива́н (council) · el ντιβάνι (council) · ms diwan (council) · pt divã (council) · tr sedir (sofa) · sl divan (sofa) · uz divan (sofa) · mk диван (sofa) · tr divan (sofa) · kmr dîwan (collection of poems) · hi दीवान (council) · fr canapé (sofa) · uk софа́ (sofa) · de Diwan (collection of poems) · id dewan (council) · el ντιβάνι (sofa) · fi divaani (collection of poems) · hy դիվան (council) · sh dìvān (sofa) · ota سدیر (sofa) · cs sofa (sofa) · tg девон (collection of poems) · uk дива́н (collection of poems) · fr divan (council) · fa-ira دیوان (council) · ka დივანი (collection of poems) · kk дуан (council) · crh divan (sofa) · fr divan (sofa) · ro divan (sofa) · tr divan (council) · hy դիվան (collection of poems) · kmr dîwan (council) · ru дива́н (collection of poems) · ky диван (sofa) · uk кана́па (sofa) · az divan (sofa) · ky диван (collection of poems) · es diván (sofa) · tt диван (council) · hu dívány (sofa) · ja ディヴァン (sofa) · tg девон (council) · ur دِیوان (council) · tr divan (collection of poems) · uk дива́н (sofa) · he דיוואן (council) · it diwan (council)

wikidata: Q2354542