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
But of course wisdom often comes from the least obvious sources, and I was tempted to read the divorce theory as a moment of divine madness: the reader being handed one possible interpretive key. Hazlitt, 20 Sep. 2023 On this day of Dussehra, may your home be filled with divine energy. Jamie Ballard, Woman's Day, 29 Aug. 2023 As a poet, I have been given the cosmic task of alerting world consciousness from the Tao, and the divine intelligence in the Universe. Marc Mohan | , oregonlive, 29 Aug. 2023 There is Santa, who has divine strength and déjà vu, and takes on a politician called Ice. Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 13 Sep. 2023 This divine flavor combination graces our browned butter frosting, the perfect accompaniment to our Bourbon-Chocolate Cake. Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 10 Sep. 2023 Baker’s plays teach their audiences to listen to the earthbound in order to approach the divine as small miracles and misfortunes unfold within and between characters on stage. Liz Appel, Vogue, 8 Sep. 2023 Rooted in Hindu philosophy, Kundalini is a form of divine energy. Ysolt Usigan, Woman's Day, 6 Sep. 2023 Liszt felt a particular freedom in the religious arena, where the task of representing the divine and the apocalyptic justified extreme measures. Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2023
Noun
My desktop collection of obsolescent chargers may not obviously connect me with the divine. Britt Peterson, Washington Post, 6 Sep. 2023 According to pros and believers alike, angel numbers carry messages from the divine. Ysolt Usigan, Woman's Day, 5 Sep. 2023 After the rise of Christianity, small white churches began dotting the summits of Sifnos’s hills and mountains, symbolizing proximity to the divine. Nick Romeo, The New Republic, 23 Aug. 2023 Its meaning is simple: Irrespective of what Arjuna does, everything is in the hands of the divine. James Temperton, WIRED, 21 July 2023 Yoked with that mind is a clarity of purpose, tinged with a belief in the divine, which can resemble a kind of innocence. Alexis Soloski, New York Times, 10 May 2023 In this way, Witt’s lyrics nudge people to foster their own direct relationship with the divine. Marcela Valdes, New York Times, 28 June 2023 The Blackfeet acknowledged and accepted individual gender expression and identity because it was granted by the divine. Rosalyn R. Lapier, The Conversation, 1 June 2023 They were viewed as having a direct connection to the divine. Rosalyn R. Lapier, The Conversation, 1 June 2023
Verb
But the focus remains on the mysterious Eliza Touchet — so externally polite, so internally acute — struggling till the end of her life to divine what to believe when the human condition is essentially fraudulent. Ron Charles, Washington Post, 30 Aug. 2023 Amongst pros, the sentiment that the OWGR seems to be driven more by divining rod than prowess with the putter when all the chips are on the line is a popular one across tour lines. Mike Dojc, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2023 The animal remains were used in attempts to divine the future by seers who inscribed them with early versions of Chinese characters still used today. Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 4 Apr. 2023 But spare some blame for liberal judges on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals who have now divined in the Constitution a right to public vagrancy. The Editorial Board, WSJ, 7 July 2023 Some University of California professors divine a semi-hidden success story. Ilana Marcus, New York Times, 11 June 2023 Munch was not the only young artist trying to divine what lay beneath or beyond the visible world. Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 22 June 2023 Ololygmancy divined according to the way dogs barked or howled; tyromancy drew conclusions about the future from patterns in cheese; and tasseography was divination through coffee grounds, wine sediments, or tea leaves. Olga Tokarczuk, Harper's Magazine, 6 Jan. 2023 Weaknesses: Themes of loss and grief and divining the truth are buried in the blitz of structural flourishes and misdirection. oregonlive, 16 May 2023 See More

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 26 Sep. 2023.

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

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