diva

noun

di·​va ˈdē-və How to pronounce diva (audio)
plural divas or dive ˈdē-(ˌ)vā How to pronounce diva (audio)
1
b
: prima donna sense 2
… if a team asks me to play somewhere else, I'm not going to be a diva about it.Ettore Lattanzio
2
: a usually glamorous and successful female performer or personality (see personality sense 4b)
a fashion diva
especially : a popular female singer
pop divas
The original diva and Queen Of Soul, Aretha Franklin, appears to have brought US President Barack Obama to tears (and then to his feet) with a stellar performance of (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural WomanTom Williams

Examples of diva in a Sentence

the reigning diva of daytime television
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In India, wine culture takes off — with a vineyard scene that’s worth a trip A postcard from the sunrise side of Islamorada in the Florida Keys Florida News Meet Orlando’s dinkiest diva: Pearl, the world’s shortest dog Her origin story is a modern tale of love, attitude and cloning. South Florida Sun Sentinel, Sun Sentinel, 26 May 2025 Former First Lady of France Hits a Sour Note at Cannes There was at least one diva who didn’t enjoy herself at Cannes this year. Benjamin Svetkey, HollywoodReporter, 21 May 2025 Melody – Esa diva United Kingdom: Remember Monday – What the Hell Just Happened? Tahar Rajab, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 May 2025 In the business, Van den Heever’s double life as diva and crazy hyper-realistic baker has only added to her éclat. Air Mail, 26 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for diva

Word History

Etymology

Italian, literally, goddess, from Latin, feminine of divus divine, god — more at deity

First Known Use

1883, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of diva was in 1883

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Diva.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diva. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

diva

noun
di·​va ˈdē-və How to pronounce diva (audio)
plural divas or dive -ˌvā How to pronounce diva (audio)
1
2
: a usually glamorous and successful female performer or celebrity
a fashion diva
especially : a popular female singer
pop divas
Etymology

from Italian diva "goddess," from Latin diva (same meaning)

More from Merriam-Webster on diva

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