Divine (dih-VYNE)
Category:
Myth & Spirituality
Origin
Entered English through Old French divin, from Latin divinus, meaning “of a god, godlike, inspired, or prophetic.” Divinus derives from Latin divus and deus, words associated with gods and deity.
Language Root
Latin — divinus (“of or belonging to a god; godlike”), related to divus (“divine, god”) and deus (“god”).
Original Meaning
Of, belonging to, or coming from a god or deity.
Evolution Over Time
Divine originally described things understood as belonging to or originating from a deity—divine power, divine authority, divine inspiration. It also became a noun for a theologian and a verb meaning to discover or predict something through supernatural means. Eventually, everyday English developed a figurative meaning: something so wonderful, beautiful, or pleasurable that it seems almost heavenly.
Modern Usage
Relating to a god, deity, or sacred power; exceptionally wonderful or beautiful; or, as a verb, to perceive, discover, or predict something through intuition or supernatural means.
Word Family
Divine, Divinity, Divinely, Divinize, Divination
Related Concept
Deity, Sacredness, Spirituality, Religion, Heaven, Transcendence, Divination, Divine Providence
Narrative
To call something divine was once to place it directly in the realm of the gods. Latin divinus described what belonged to, came from, or resembled a deity. As the word traveled through French into English, its reach expanded beyond religion. Inspiration could be divine. Beauty could seem divine. Eventually even an extraordinary meal could be called divine. Few words demonstrate exaggeration more elegantly: a word once reserved for the gods became something we can use to praise dessert.