devine: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very RareArchaic (as variant) / Erroneous (modern)
Quick answer
What does “devine” mean?
An obsolete or erroneous spelling of 'divine', meaning of, from, or like God or a god.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An obsolete or erroneous spelling of 'divine', meaning of, from, or like God or a god; supremely good; or to discover by guesswork or intuition.
In historical texts, a common Early Modern English spelling variant of 'divine'. In modern usage, it is often a spelling error for 'divine', or rarely, a surname.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No systematic difference. The variant 'devine' appears in historical texts of both regions but is uniformly considered an error in modern standard English.
Connotations
In modern writing, it carries the strong connotation of a spelling mistake or non-standard usage.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in corpora. Appears primarily in learner writing or historical digitizations.
Grammar
How to Use “devine” in a Sentence
[Word] is a common misspelling of [divine].The word was occasionally spelled [devine] in the 16th century.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “devine” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The old manuscript seemed to *devine* the future. [Historical]
American English
- She could *devine* his intentions from his expression. [Historical/Erroneous]
adverb
British English
- The music played *devinely*. [Erroneous form of 'divinely']
American English
- She sang *devinely* well. [Erroneous form of 'divinely']
adjective
British English
- They sought *devine* intervention. [Historical]
American English
- The cake was simply *devine*. [Erroneous]
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used. Appearing in formal documents would be considered an error.
Academic
Only referenced in historical linguistics or philology papers discussing spelling variation.
Everyday
Almost exclusively encountered as a spelling mistake by learners or in quick, unedited text.
Technical
No technical usage.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “devine”
Neutral
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “devine”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “devine”
- Using 'devine' instead of the correct 'divine' is the primary mistake. This often occurs due to the pronunciation (/dɪˈvaɪn/) where the first 'i' sounds like a schwa.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. In modern standard English, 'devine' is considered a misspelling. 'Divine' is the only correct form.
Because the first vowel in 'divine' is pronounced as a weak 'i' (schwa /ɪ/), which can be misinterpreted as an 'e' sound when spelling phonetically.
Yes, it was a common spelling variant during the Early Modern English period (c. 1500-1700), seen in works by Shakespeare and others, before English spelling became standardized.
Use this entry to understand that 'devine' is an error and to learn the correct spelling, pronunciation, and meaning of 'divine'. It is primarily a reference for correcting a common mistake.
An obsolete or erroneous spelling of 'divine', meaning of, from, or like God or a god.
Devine is usually archaic (as variant) / erroneous (modern) in register.
Devine: in British English it is pronounced /dɪˈvaɪn/, and in American English it is pronounced /dɪˈvaɪn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None specific to this spelling.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Remember the correct spelling: The DIVINe power comes from aboVE. The 'i' comes before the 'i' in 'divine'.
Conceptual Metaphor
Not applicable for the spelling variant.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary modern status of the spelling 'devine'?