diva

noun

di·​va ˈdē-və How to pronounce diva (audio)
plural divas or dive ˈdē-(ˌ)vā How to pronounce diva (audio)
Synonyms of diva
1
a
music : prima donna sense 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 Woman … —Tom Williams

Synonyms of diva

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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.
So away from the stage, gun in hand, flesh bared before her for inking, what does this darkwave diva click play on? — Matt Thompson, SPIN, 12 May 2026 Monroe isn’t the only diva on Bonhams’ books. — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 28 May 2026 And on the fashion front, wedges and studs are adorning the most downtown divas this side of 2010. — Madeline Hirsch, InStyle, 3 June 2026 There’s no question that Madonna is the epitome of a diva with a loyal following. — Brittany Spanos, Wired News, 5 June 2026 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

Rhymes for diva

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Browse Nearby Words

div
diva
diva blue
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Cite this Entry

“Diva.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diva. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

diva

noun
di·​va ˈdē-və How to pronounce diva (audio)
plural divas or dive -ˌvā How to pronounce diva (audio)
1
a
: PRIMA DONNA sense 1
b
: PRIMA DONNA sense 2
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

Nglish: Translation of diva for Spanish Speakers

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