divine
B2Formal, literary, religious; can be used in casual speech for emphasis.
Definition
Meaning
Relating to, coming from, or like a god or deity; supremely good or beautiful.
As a verb: to discover or guess something by intuition or inspiration; as a noun (dated/in religious contexts): a theologian or clergyman.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
As an adjective, often connotes perfection, sacredness, or celestial origin. In non-religious contexts, it is used hyperbolically to express extreme delight or admiration (e.g., 'divine chocolate'). The verb sense implies a near-supernatural insight or guess.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major differences in meaning. The verb usage ('to divine') is equally known but rare in both variants.
Connotations
In both, the adjective retains strong religious connotations. Hyperbolic, positive use ('That cake is divine!') is more common in British English, especially in older, upper-class speech.
Frequency
Adjective is moderately common in both. Verb is low-frequency in general use.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
ADJ + N (divine guidance)VERB: divine + N/that-clause (divine the truth)It is/was + ADJ + to-inf (It was divine to see her.)feel/look/sound + ADJ (The music sounded divine.)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “divine right (of kings)”
- “the divine comedy”
- “to divine the future”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Virtually unused, except metaphorically in branding (e.g., 'a divine marketing strategy').
Academic
Common in religious studies, theology, philosophy, and literature discussing sacred concepts or aesthetics.
Everyday
Used hyperbolically for extreme pleasure ('This coffee is divine!').
Technical
Not typically a technical term outside of theology or specific historical contexts (e.g., 'divine kingship').
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- The gathering was attended by several learned divines.
American English
- He consulted a local divine about the scriptural interpretation.
verb
British English
- The dowser claimed he could divine water using a hazel twig.
- She could divine his intentions from the slightest change in his tone.
American English
- The detective seemed to divine the killer's motive before anyone else.
- Ancient priests would divine the future by examining animal entrails.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The sunset looked divine.
- She has a divine voice.
- Many ancient cultures believed in divine beings that controlled nature.
- This chocolate mousse is absolutely divine!
- The concept of divine intervention is central to many religions.
- The archaeologist hoped to divine the purpose of the mysterious artefact.
- Philosophers have long debated the conflict between divine omniscience and human free will.
- Her ability to divine the underlying tensions in the group was uncanny.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of DIVINE WINE – a wine so perfect it must be from the gods.
Conceptual Metaphor
GOOD IS UP / GOD IS UP (divine beings are above us); PERFECTION IS DIVINE (something perfect is god-like).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with Russian 'дивинный' (strange, weird).
- The verb 'to divine' is not 'предвидеть' (to foresee) but 'угадывать' (to guess intuitively).
- In religious contexts, can translate as 'божественный', but in casual praise, use 'восхитительный', 'прелестный'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'divine' as a simple synonym for 'good' in formal writing (register clash).
- Confusing 'divine' (adj) with 'devine' (common misspelling).
- Incorrect stress: pronouncing it as 'DIE-vine' instead of 'dih-VINE'.
- Using the verb 'divine' to mean 'predict scientifically' instead of 'intuit'.
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'divine' used in its verb sense?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is commonly used in hyperbolic, positive contexts (e.g., 'divine food') to mean 'extremely pleasant or delightful', though this retains a hint of its 'heavenly' origin.
Yes, the verb often implies discovering something hidden or future through intuition, inspiration, or mystical means, which overlaps with practices like dowsing or clairvoyance.
'Divine' directly pertains to a god or gods (of divine origin). 'Sacred' means dedicated to a religious purpose and deserving veneration; something can be sacred without being inherently divine (e.g., a sacred text is holy because of its content, not because it *is* a god).
As an adjective in religious/formal contexts, it is standard. In casual praise ('divine cake'), it can sound somewhat dated, theatrical, or upper-class, especially in British English.
Explore