divine
dih-VYN
Divine (adj) means relating to or coming from God or a god. Example: “They believed the king ruled by divine right.”
adj
1
Relating to or coming from God or a god.
"They believed the king ruled by divine right."
"The priest spoke of divine judgement awaiting sinners."
"Many people pray for divine guidance when facing hard decisions."
2
Wonderful or delightful, in an exaggerated, almost heavenly sense.
"This chocolate cake is absolutely divine."
"The view from our hotel balcony was simply divine."
"You look divine in that green dress, darling!"
verb
1
To work something out through guesswork, intuition, or insight rather than being told directly.
"From her tone of voice, he divined that something was wrong."
"I could not divine why the shop was closed on a weekday."
"She tried to divine his plans from the questions he asked."
How to use divine
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishRelating to God or gods, or — informally — simply gorgeous or wonderful; as a verb, to figure something out through intuition rather than facts.
Common mistake
Don't confuse the adjective "divine" (godlike, wonderful) with the noun "divinity" (the state of being divine) or "diviner" (someone who searches for water/objects).
Common pairings
divine intervention
divine right
simply divine
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Word forms
- Plural
- divines
- Third person singular
- divines
- Past tense
- divined
- Comparative
- more divine
- Superlative
- most divine
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
They believed the king ruled by _____ right.
Etymology
From Old French divin, from Latin dīvīnus, "of a god", from divus, "god" — it displaced the native Old English word godcund.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for divine
See all rhymes for divine →Frequently asked questions
What does “divine” mean?
The word “divine” means relating to or coming from God or a god. In plain terms, relating to God or gods, or — informally — simply gorgeous or wonderful; as a verb, to figure something out through intuition rather than facts.
How do you pronounce “divine”?
“Divine” is pronounced dih-VYN (/dɪˈvaɪn/ in IPA).
How do you use “divine” in a sentence?
Here is “divine” used in a sentence: “They believed the king ruled by divine right.”
What is another word for “divine”?
Words with a similar meaning to “divine” include deific, godly and godlike.
What is the opposite of “divine”?
The opposite of “divine” — its antonyms — are nondivine, undivine, ungodly and ungodlike.
What part of speech is “divine”?
Depending on how it is used, “divine” can be an adjective and a verb.
Where does the word “divine” come from?
The word “divine” comes from Latin. From Old French divin, from Latin dīvīnus, "of a god", from divus, "god" — it displaced the native Old English word godcund.
Is “divine” a common word?
“Divine” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
What is the difference between "divine" and "holy"?
"Divine" means relating to or coming from God or a god, describing the nature or source of something. "Holy" means set apart as sacred or dedicated to religious use, so a place or object can be holy without being divine itself.
What is the difference between "divine" and "sacred"?
"Divine" describes what belongs to or comes from a god. "Sacred" describes what is regarded as holy and worthy of religious respect, which can include people, places, or objects devoted to the divine.
When is "divine" used to mean "wonderful"?
In an informal, exaggerated sense, "divine" means wonderful or delightful, as in "the dessert was divine." This use is emphatic and somewhat old-fashioned or playful, unlike the literal religious meaning.
Is "divine" formal or informal when it means "delightful"?
When it means wonderful or delightful, "divine" is informal and expressive, often used for strong praise of food, clothes, or experiences. Its religious sense, relating to God or a god, is neutral and used in formal contexts.
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