davenport
noun
dav·en·port
ˈda-vᵊn-ˌpȯrt
ˈda-vᵊm-
1
: a small compact writing desk
2
: a large upholstered sofa often convertible into a bed
Examples of davenport in a Sentence
we seated ourselves on the davenport while we waited for him to get ready
Recent Examples on the Web
A decade later, the rollicking races were inspired by a different davenport, an eponym for a large, upholstered sofa like those manufactured by the A.H. Davenport Co. furniture company in East Cambridge, Massachusetts.
—oregonlive, 30 July 2022
Especially if your grandparents liked wall-to-wall gray wool carpeting, dark colonial-style furniture and the odd splash of color from a banana-leaf patterned davenport – or a loud Hawaiian bowling shirt.
—Mark Gauert, sun-sentinel.com, 2 Mar. 2021
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Word History
Etymology
probably from the name Davenport
First Known Use
1853, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near davenport
Cite this Entry
“Davenport.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/davenport. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
davenport
noun
dav·en·port
ˈdav-ən-ˌpō(ə)rt
ˈdav-ᵊm-,
-pȯ(ə)rt
: a large upholstered sofa
Geographical Definition
Davenport
geographical name
Dav·en·port
ˈda-vən-ˌpȯrt
city on the Mississippi River in eastern Iowa population 99,685
Biographical Definition
Davenport
biographical name
Dav·en·port
ˈda-vən-ˌpȯrt
ˈda-vᵊm-
John 1597–1670 American (English-born) clergyman and founder of New Haven colony
More from Merriam-Webster on davenport
Nglish: Translation of davenport for Spanish Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about davenport
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share