divers

1 of 2

adjective

di·​vers ˈdī-vərz 

: various sense 1

divers

2 of 2

pronoun

plural in construction

: an indefinite number more than one

with divers of the leaves torn and stitched across

—Charles Dickens

Did you know?

Divers is not a misspelling of diverse—it is a word in its own right. Both adjectives come from Latin diversus, meaning "turning in opposite directions," and both historically could be pronounced as either DYE-verz (like the plural of the noun diver) or dye-VERSS. Divers (now pronounced more frequently as DYE-verz) is typically used before a plural noun to indicate an unspecified quantity ("a certain secret drawer in the wardrobe, where were stored divers parchments" — Jane Eyre); it's a rather formal word and not commonly encountered. Diverse (usually dye-VERSS) is frequently called upon to emphasize variety. It means either "dissimilar" or "unlike" (as in "a variety of activities to appeal to the children's diverse interests") or "made up of people or things that are different from each other" (as in "a diverse student body").

Synonyms

Adjective

• various

Examples of divers in a Sentence

Adjective

the state fair offers divers amusements for the whole family

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English divers, diverse diverse

Note: The form divers continues a Middle English variant of diverse with the stress shifted to the initial syllable and the vowel lengthened. In modern English diverse, with stress on the second syllable, has taken over most of the word's meanings, but divers remains as a quantifier, with the final -s voiced as if it were a plural marker.

Pronoun

from pronominal use of divers entry 1

Note: See note at divers entry 1.

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Pronoun

1528, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for divers

• drivers
• stivers
• screwdrivers
• survivors

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Kids Definition

divers

adjective

di·​vers

ˈdī-vərz

: various sense 4