noun
divan
Divan (noun) means (history) A body of ministers in an Islamic state, especially the Ottoman Empire, that debated and put forward new laws to the ruler.
noun
1
(history) A body of ministers in an Islamic state, especially the Ottoman Empire, that debated and put forward new laws to the ruler.
2
(history) The room where such a council met, or, more generally, any law court.
3
A formal gathering of people brought together to discuss or decide something.
4
A piece of furniture resembling a couch or sofa, consisting of a mattress set against a wall and resting either on the floor or on a raised base.
"Eurydice pointed to the cupboard, and sat down on the low divan with folded hands, and looked at the floor."
— Maurice Baring (1932)
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Etymology
The word was borrowed from French, which took it from Ottoman Turkish دیوان (divan), itself from Classical Persian دیوان (dēwān), from Middle Persian d(p)ywʾn' (dēwān, "archive, collected writings"), tracing back to Sumerian ? (dub). Compare mattress, borrowed from Arabic (both words come from the Middle East, since lying on padding on the floor was a foreign custom to Europeans). It is a doublet of dewan, douane, and diwaniya.
Synonyms
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diwan
Rhymes for divan
See all rhymes for divan →Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of divan?
"divan" (noun) means (history) A body of ministers in an Islamic state, especially the Ottoman Empire, that debated and put forward new laws to the ruler.
What is another word for divan?
Other words for "divan" include diwan.
What are the different meanings of divan?
"divan" has 3 main meanings: 1. (history) A body of ministers in an Islamic state, especially the Ottoman Empire, that debated and put forward new laws to the ruler; 2. (history) The room where such a council met, or, more generally, any law court; 3. A formal gathering of people brought together to discuss or decide something.
