divine

1 of 3

adjective

di·​vine də-ˈvīn How to pronounce divine (audio)
diviner; divinest
1
religion
a
: of, relating to, or proceeding directly from God (see god entry 1 sense 1) or a god (see god entry 1 sense 2)
divine inspiration
divine love
praying for divine intervention
b
: being a deity
the divine Savior
a divine ruler
c
: directed to a deity
divine worship
2
a
: supremely good : superb
The meal was just divine.
divinely adverb

divine

2 of 3

noun

1
religion : clergyman
a Puritan divine
2
religion : theologian

divine

3 of 3

verb

divined; divining

transitive verb

1
: to discover by intuition or insight : infer
divine the truth
2
: to discover or locate (something, such as underground water or minerals) usually by means of a divining rod

intransitive verb

1
: to seek to predict future events or discover hidden knowledge usually by the interpretation of omens or by the aid of supernatural powers : to practice divination : prophesy
2
: to perceive intuitively
Choose the Right Synonym for divine

foresee, foreknow, divine, anticipate mean to know beforehand.

foresee implies nothing about how the knowledge is derived and may apply to ordinary reasoning and experience.

economists should have foreseen the recession

foreknow usually implies supernatural assistance, as through revelation.

if only we could foreknow our own destinies

divine adds to foresee the suggestion of exceptional wisdom or discernment.

was able to divine Europe's rapid recovery from the war

anticipate implies taking action about or responding emotionally to something before it happens.

the waiter anticipated our every need

Examples of divine in a Sentence

Adjective They prayed for divine intervention. how about a piece of the most divine apple pie I've ever tasted! Noun the great influence exerted by the Puritan divines in the Massachusetts Bay Colony Verb divine the answer to a question it was easy to divine his intention of asking his girlfriend to marry him
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Do not come to Conclave in search of some divine messages about power, corruption and lies percolating within a sacred space. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 25 Oct. 2024 In addition to bedding, Brooklinen also makes divine towels, BTW. Annie Blackman, Allure, 22 Oct. 2024
Noun
The resulting music is impressively precise and introspective, grappling with earthly concerns with poise, while also channeling the unexpected, iridescent revelations and comforts of the divine. Pitchfork, 1 Oct. 2024 Lori, having been raised within the patriarchal framework of the LDS Church, where men control nearly everything, including one’s connection to the divine, must have found the idea that a woman could have an intimate relationship with a living and present Jesus Christ hard to resist. Lizz Schumer, People.com, 29 Sep. 2024
Verb
Art market prognosticators who were hoping to divine what the remainder of the year will hold likely found their tea leaves left a bitter aftertaste following Sotheby’s Contemporary Curated auction, which wrapped late Friday afternoon in New York City. Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 27 Sep. 2024 For Hazony, the common good can be divined from an open-eyed examination of history and nature. Charles King, Foreign Affairs, 20 June 2023 See all Example Sentences for divine 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'divine.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English divin, from Anglo-French, from Latin divinus, from divus god — more at deity

Noun

Middle English, from Medieval Latin divinus, from Latin, soothsayer, from divinus, adjective — see divine entry 1

Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French deviner, from Latin divinare, from divinus, noun — see divine entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of divine was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near divine

Cite this Entry

“Divine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/divine. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

divine

1 of 3 adjective
di·​vine də-ˈvīn How to pronounce divine (audio)
1
a
: of, relating to, or coming directly from God or a god
b
: being God or a god
the divine Savior
c
: directed to God or a god
divine worship
2
a
: extremely good : superb
b
: having godlike qualities
divinely adverb

divine

2 of 3 noun
: a member of the clergy

divine

3 of 3 verb
divined; divining
1
: to discover or understand something without reasoning
2
: to practice divination : prophesy
diviner noun

More from Merriam-Webster on divine

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