davenport
davenport Lexical Profile
davenport Game Scores & Validity
• noun
American A major city in eastern Iowa, United States, located on the Mississippi River and serving as the largest of the Quad Cities.
American A large, heavily upholstered sofa, often one that can be converted into a bed.
"During the holidays, my grandmother always insisted we sit properly on the davenport when guests arrived."
British A small, ornamental writing desk featuring a sloped, hinged writing surface and drawers running down the side.
"The antique dealer carefully restored the mahogany davenport to its original Victorian splendor."
Word Nuance & Usage
In American English, 'davenport' referring to a sofa is largely regional to the Midwest and often associated with older generations, while in British English, it historically refers to a specific type of antique writing desk.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived as an eponym from two distinct sources: the sofa is named after A. H. Davenport and Company, a prominent 19th-century American furniture manufacturer, while the desk is named after a Captain Davenport, who supposedly commissioned the original design from Gillows of Lancaster in the late 18th century.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.