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
Taylor Swift received a divine welcome upon her arrival in Brazil. Ilana Kaplan, Peoplemag, 17 Nov. 2023 Sound baths and orgasmic breathwork hosted by the resort sounded divine. Keyaira Boone, Essence, 7 Nov. 2023 An emotional chiaroscuro, her facial expression is etched into marble to communicate the extreme agony and ecstasy caused by fleeting contact with the divine and an immense sense of loss brought on by the knowledge that such a momentous experience must soon come to an end. Michael Teo Van Runkle, Ars Technica, 30 Oct. 2023 And like most mythical creatures, the griffin also took on an association with Christianity, since the creature was both beast and bird, like Christ, who was both mortal and divine. Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 30 Oct. 2023 Three spiritual stones, four divine beasts, seven dapper dongles, whatever. WIRED, 9 Nov. 2023 Luxe potpourri Make someone’s stocking smell divine with this Santa Maria Novella potpourri bag, which features notes of bergamot, lavender, thyme and rosemary. Bellamy Richardson, wsj.com, 8 Nov. 2023 As a result, Lovejoy has become somewhat of a celestial, guiding the ideas and sounds of others from high above as a divine craftsman. Kyle Lamar Rice, Rolling Stone, 7 Nov. 2023 This divine cake makes use of seven Milky Way candy bars (plus additional for garnishing) for a decadent dessert that will have kids and adults clamoring for more. Sheri Castle, Southern Living, 3 Nov. 2023
Noun
One needn’t be a true believer to be fascinated by the holy relics of the Catholic Church, objects credited with the ability to facilitate miracles and even provide access to the divine. John Anderson, WSJ, 31 Oct. 2023 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
Verb
But determining whether the current course of action is rational requires knowing whether China is a selectively opportunist or an expansionist power, which, in turn, requires divining Beijing’s intentions. Foreign Affairs, 24 Oct. 2023 The words in her poems are like divining rods wiggling above an icy stream. The New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2023 Polls cannot divine the future and should not be treated as gospel truth. Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 8 Nov. 2023 The productions are closely guarded secrets; some residents routinely drive past plots of land where Donaldson has built sets in the past, trying to divine what might come next. Taylor Lorenz, Washington Post, 3 Nov. 2023 Americans invest personal productivity with moral weight, as though human worth can be divined through careful examination of work product, both professional and personal. Amanda Mull, The Atlantic, 14 Sep. 2023 The writhing moon goddesses in celestial white linen, beholden to neither human nor lease, vagabonds with steal-your-soul smiles, divining off-kilter rhythms from the dark star void. Jeff Weiss, Spin, 21 Aug. 2023 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 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 2 Dec. 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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