divan

divan, couch

noun dee-VAHN Rare

Origin: Turkish divan via Ottoman Turkish

Usage Note

Divan entered French through Ottoman Turkish and originally referred to a low cushioned seat used as a council chamber. In modern French it denotes a backless sofa or day bed, distinguishable from a canapé (sofa with back and arms). It remains common in interior-design and literary contexts.

Examples

"Il s'est allongé sur le divan du salon."

Natural Translation

He lay down on the living room divan.

Free starter pack

Building your French vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common French words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Related Words

Explore French by topic

FrenchNow

Faire in French: To Make, To Do, and More

Faire in French means more than make and do: master faire vs rendre, weather and sports idioms, the causative, and the mistakes English speakers make.

June 4, 2026 6 min read

FrenchNow

French False Friends: 25 Faux Amis to Avoid

French false friends look like English words but mean something else: actuellement is not actually, sensible means sensitive. Here are 25 faux amis to avoid.

June 3, 2026 5 min read

FrenchNow

Le, La, Un, Du: French Articles Made Simple

Le, la, un, du, des made simple: pick the French article family by meaning, the form by gender, and dodge the two mistakes English speakers always make.

June 4, 2026 5 min read

FrenchNow

French Filler Words: Euh, Bah, Du Coup, Quoi

French filler words like euh, bah, du coup, and quoi make you sound fluent, not lazy. Learn what each one does, where it goes, and how to use them naturally.

June 4, 2026 6 min read