divine

di-VYN/dɪˈvaɪn/

Noun pluraldivines (some meanings)

Verbdivines, divining, divined

11 meanings of divine

Practice

1
of a godadjective
Coming from or connected with a god, or being like a god.
Like a gift that comes straight from a god.
The priests believed they had a divine right to rule.
Many cultures see thunder as a divine sign.
UsageOften divine power or divine help.
Similarholy, sacred, godly, heavenly, celestial
Oppositehuman, mortal, earthly
2
delightfuladjectivecolloquial
Wonderful, or extremely good, lovely or enjoyable.
Like the best thing you have ever tasted.
That chocolate cake tasted absolutely divine.
The view from the hilltop was simply divine.
UsageUsed to praise food or clothes very warmly: simply divine.
Similarwonderful, delightful, gorgeous, heavenly, superb
Oppositeawful, horrible, dreadful
3
higher powernoununcountable
God seen as a higher power above everything.
Like a higher power that watches over everything.
Many people pray to the divine for help in hard times.
She believes the divine watches over every living thing.
UsageSay the divine for God or the holy.
Similargodhead, God
Note
4
figure outverbtransitive
To understand or guess something by sensing it, without being told or working it out step by step.
Like knowing what a friend feels just by looking at them.
She could divine the answer without being told.
He seemed to divine my thoughts before I even spoke.
UsageFollowed by a noun or that: divine the truth, divine that something is wrong.
Similarsense, guess, intuit, perceive, discern
Note
5
theologiannouncountable
A priest or minister, or someone who studies religion deeply, mostly in older writing.
In the 1600s, the famous divine gave long sermons every Sunday.
Students gathered to hear the divine explain hard ideas about God.
Similartheologian, cleric, clergyman, churchman
Note

Less common meanings

6
foretellverbtransitive
To say what will happen in the future, often by magic or signs.
Like reading signs to guess what will happen next.
The priestess could divine the outcome of the war.
Some claimed they could divine the future from the stars.
Similarforetell, predict, prophesy, forecast, foresee
Note
7
adjectivearchaic
About the study of God and religion.
church history and other divine learning
1692, Robert South, Twelve Sermons Preached upon Several OccasionsHere, divine means having to do with the study of religion.
Similartheological
Oppositesecular
8
find waterverbtransitive
To look for water or things underground using a special stick.
Like using a stick to find water hidden under the ground.
The old farmer could divine water with a forked stick.
My grandfather used a forked stick to divine water behind the barn.
UsageYou can divine water or divine for water, often with a divining rod.
Similardowse
9
verbobsoletetransitive
To make someone or something into a god.
Living on earth like angel new divined.
1591, Daphnaïda. An Elegy upon the Death of the Noble and Vertuous Douglas Howard,Daughter and Heire of Henry Lord Howard, Viscount ByndonHere, divined means made divine, like a newly made angel.
Similardeify
Note
10
adjectiveobsolete
Having a feeling that something bad will happen before it does.
Yet oft his heart, divine of something ill, / Misgave him.
1667, John Milton, Paradise LostHere, divine means sensing ahead of time that something bad would happen.
Note
11
adjectiveobsolete
Living forever, or saved after death.
(Of that at leaſure) but the bloody ſtage On which to act, Generall this night is thine, Thou lyeſt downe mortall, who muſt riſe diuine.
1632, Thomas Heywood, The Iron AgeHere, divine means immortal, rising to live forever after death.
Now Thomas Mowbray do I turne to thee, And marke my greeting well: for what I ſpeake, My body ſhall make good vpon this earth, Or my diuine ſoule anſwer it in heauen.
1595, William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Richard the Second”Here, divine means immortal, the soul that lives on in heaven.
Note

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of divine apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meanings 1–3, 5, 7, 10–11

It comes from Latin dīvīnus, meaning 'of a god', from divus 'god'.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 4 facts

Divine comes from Latin dīvīnus. en.wiktionary.org
Latin dīvīnus means 'of a god'. en.wiktionary.org
Latin dīvīnus derives from divus. en.wiktionary.org
Latin divus means 'god'. en.wiktionary.org

Meanings 4, 6, 8–9

This comes from Latin dīvīnō, through Middle French deviner.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 1 fact

The verb divine derives from Latin dīvīnō through Middle French deviner. en.wiktionary.org