plural divas or dive
ˈdē-(ˌ)vā 
1
a
music
: prima donna sense 1
b
: prima donna sense 2
… if a team asks me to play somewhere else, I'm not going to be a diva about it.—
Ettore Lattanzio
Ettore Lattanzio2
: a usually glamorous and successful female performer or personality (see personality sense 4b)
a fashion diva
especially
: a popular female singer
pop divas
The original diva and Queen Of Soul, Aretha Franklin, appears to have brought US President Barack Obama to tears (and then to his feet) with a stellar performance of (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman … —Tom Williams
Tom Williams Examples of diva in a Sentence
the reigning diva of daytime television
Recent Examples on the Web
A bit of Madonna must have rubbed off during that moment when the pair were collaborating, because Toki has never been more of a pop diva.
—E.r. Pulgar, Pitchfork, 16 Apr. 2026
The label’s young artists were aware of the Queen’s pedigree, and Cruz recorded at a furious pace — mostly with Pacheco, but also with tastemaker Willie Colón, former jazz conguero Ray Barretto, and as resident diva with the label’s conglomerate of icons, the Fania All-Stars.
—Ernesto Lechner, Rolling Stone, 15 Apr. 2026
More than anything, in the halo headpieces that are her signature accessory, Mary recalls a medieval religious icon, the Holy Virgin as fictional diva, touching down on stages in major markets to be adored by seas of light-waving supplicants.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2026
Given that Hathaway plays Mary not as an entitled diva but a tremulous mess, at risk of being consumed by her public image, the drama invests heavily in the possession and exorcism aspects.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for diva
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E.r. Pulgar, Pitchfork, 16 Apr. 2026
The label’s young artists were aware of the Queen’s pedigree, and Cruz recorded at a furious pace — mostly with Pacheco, but also with tastemaker Willie Colón, former jazz conguero Ray Barretto, and as resident diva with the label’s conglomerate of icons, the Fania All-Stars.
—Ernesto Lechner, Rolling Stone, 15 Apr. 2026
More than anything, in the halo headpieces that are her signature accessory, Mary recalls a medieval religious icon, the Holy Virgin as fictional diva, touching down on stages in major markets to be adored by seas of light-waving supplicants.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2026
Given that Hathaway plays Mary not as an entitled diva but a tremulous mess, at risk of being consumed by her public image, the drama invests heavily in the possession and exorcism aspects.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for diva
Cite this Entry
“Diva.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diva. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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