diva

[ dee-vuh, -vah ]

noun

, plural di·vas, di·ve [dee, -ve].

1. a distinguished female singer; prima donna.

diva

/ ˈdiːvə /

noun

1. a highly distinguished female singer; prima donna

Word History and Origins

Origin of diva¹

1880–85; < Italian < Latin dīva, feminine of dīvus god; divine

Word History and Origins

Origin of diva¹

C19: via Italian from Latin: a goddess, from dīvus divine

Example Sentences

Workers who come in direct contact with performers need an even temperament and a long fuse, always at the ready to soothe diva behavior.

From Time

When people say Jennifer Lopez is a diva in 2021, they mean that she’s an icon, a goddess.

From Vox

She had worked as a beautician since high school, first at flagship boutiques in the city and later for the disco diva Carol Douglas and on the sets of Spike Lee films.

From ProPublica

He kept getting traded, his numbers weren’t all too flashy, he seemed like a diva … funny how winning can change all of that.

From Ozy

At this lively club, drag queen divas perform on a nightly basis.

From No Straight News

People scream, the orchestra stops playing, and the stage manager whisks the diva into the wings.

From The Daily Beast

“She not only won the biggest singing competition in the world, her song “Diva” became a trans anthem,” said Kallai.

From The Daily Beast

On the fashion shoot beforehand, he was puppyish energy and charm—no diva-ishness, just fast, funny, and co-operative.

From The Daily Beast

But for true diva status, you need to hurl a phone at an assistant (Naomi Campbell).

From The Daily Beast

Brutally, Ms. Grande, to be a true diva you need to have lived a bit.

From The Daily Beast

From a distance came the divine notes of the diva uplifted in some passionate love song.

From Project Gutenberg

When a diva who looks like a hippo surprises us by singing like a canary—that is something remarkable.

From Project Gutenberg

Her delivery of 'Casta Diva' is a transcendent effort of vocalization.

From Project Gutenberg

To me her scales and exercises sounded more entrancing than any diva's rendering of masterpieces, I think.

From Project Gutenberg

We went to the new diva, who did not await our coming, but stepped towards us, with both hands extended.

From Project Gutenberg