The short answer: a davenport is a sofa. The word comes from A.H. Davenport and Company, a Massachusetts furniture maker of the late 1800s and early 1900s whose name became a general word for a couch, especially in the Midwest and upstate New York. It was often used for a large upholstered sofa, and sometimes for one that converts into a bed. In Britain, a davenport is something else entirely: a small writing desk.
Sofa names at a glance
| Name | What it means |
|---|---|
| Davenport | An older American word for a sofa, sometimes a sofa bed; in Britain, a small writing desk |
| Settee | A small, upright upholstered seat with a back and arms, for two or three people |
| Divan | A long, low seat without a back or arms, often placed against a wall; in Britain also a bed base |
| Chesterfield | A sofa with deep button tufting and rolled arms the same height as the back; in Canada, once a general word for any sofa |
| Loveseat | A sofa made for two people |
| Chaise longue | A long seat for one person to recline on with the legs up; “chaise lounge” is the common American spelling |
| Fainting couch | A long seat with a raised back at one end only, for reclining; a nineteenth-century relative of the chaise longue |
| Daybed | A seat the size of a single bed, used for sitting by day and sleeping at night |
| Sofa and couch | The two standard words today; they mean the same thing |
Why is a couch called a davenport?
A.H. Davenport and Company, based in the Boston area, made high-quality furniture, including large upholstered sofas. The maker’s name stuck to the product, in the same way some brand names become everyday words. The term was most common in the first half of the twentieth century and is still heard among older speakers in parts of the Midwest.
Is a davenport the same as a sofa?
Yes. In American use, a davenport is a sofa or couch. Some people used the word specifically for a boxy, heavily upholstered sofa or for a sofa that folds out into a bed, which today would be called a sleeper sofa or sofa bed.
What is a settee?
A settee is a small, upright seat for two or three people with a back and arms. It is usually lighter and less deeply cushioned than a sofa, and it often has visible wooden legs or a wooden frame. Settees suit hallways, bedrooms and formal sitting rooms. For a comfortable two-seater for everyday lounging, look at loveseats.
What is a divan?
A divan is a long, low upholstered seat with no back or arms, traditionally set against a wall with cushions to lean on. The word comes from the Middle East, where such seating lined the walls of a room. In Britain, “divan” is also the name for an upholstered bed base.
What is a chesterfield?
A chesterfield is a classic sofa style with deep button tufting, rolled arms and a back of the same height as the arms, traditionally in leather. In Canada, “chesterfield” was long used for any sofa. See our tufted sofas for the look.
What is a fainting couch?
A fainting couch is a long, upholstered seat with a back that is raised at one end and slopes away, so a person can recline with the head and shoulders supported. It was popular in the nineteenth century, and the name comes from the idea of a place to lie down when feeling faint. Today the closest pieces are a chaise longue or a sofa with a chaise.
What is a chaise?
A chaise, short for chaise longue (“long chair” in French), is a seat long enough to stretch your legs out on. On a modern sectional, the chaise is the extended seat at one end. Browse sofas with a chaise.
Which word should I search for when shopping?
Use “sofa” or “couch”: stores list davenports, settees and chesterfields under those words. For more terms, see sofa vs couch, the sofa glossary and types of couches.